Ammothella spinifera Cole, 1904

Müller, Hans-Georg & Krapp, Franz, 2009, The pycnogonid fauna (Pycnogonida, Arthropoda) of the Tayrona National Park and adjoining areas on the Caribbean coast of Colombia 2319, Zootaxa 2319 (1), pp. 1-138 : 33-38

Ammothella spinifera Cole, 1904

Fig. 14

Ammothella spinifera Cole, 1904: 275 . Child 1979: 11, (literature). Stock 1986: 400. Müller 1990: 278. Müller1992: 43

Material: 1.— 1 male, 1 fem. (gravid), 1 juv. ( SMF 1428 ), phaeophyceae on rocks, lower mesolittoral, 10.IX.1985 . 1 male, 2 fem. (gravid), 3 juv. ( ZFMK), phaeophyceae on rocks, lower mesolittoral, 9.X.1985 . 1 fem., 1 juv. ( ZSM), Sargassum on rock, mesolittoral, 18.XI.1985 .

2.— 1 male, 2 juv. ( SMF 1429 ), corallinaceans on rock, ca. 0.5 m, 9.X.1985 .

8.— 1 juv. ( SMF 1430 ), from corallinaceans and hydroids on jetty piles exposed to light, 0–1 m, 24.IV.1985 . 3 males (2 ov.), 1 juv. ( MNHN), from poriferans and hydroids on jetty piles protected from light, 0–1 m, 24.IV.1985 . 3 fem. (gravid), 5 juv. ( SMF 1431 ), same locality, 25.IV.1985 . 1 male ( USNM), same locality, 4.V.1985 . 1 male, 1 fem. ( ZSM), on jetty piles exposed to light, algae and hydroids, 0–1 m, 8.V.1985 . 3 males (2ov.), 7 fem. (4 gravid), 24 juv. ( ZMA 3353 ), jetty piles exposed to light with algae and poriferans, 0–1 m, 10.V.1985 . 8 males (3 ov.), 5 fem., 19 juv. ( INVEMAR), shaded jetty piles, with poriferans and hydroids, 0–1 m, 14.V.1985 . 8 males (5 ov.), 6 fem., 32 juv. ( SMF 1432 ), jetty piles exposed to light with algae and poriferans, 0–1 m, 14.V.1985 . 2 males (1 ov.), 5 juv. ( SMF 1433 ), shaded jetty piles with poriferans and hydroids, 0–1 m, 16.V.1985 . 1 male, 2 juv. ( SMF 1434 ), shaded jetty piles with poriferans and hydroids, 18.V.1985 . 9 males (3 ov.), 8 fem. (6 gravid), 12 juv. ( SMF 1435 ), shaded jetty piles with poriferans and hydroids, 19.V.1985 . 1 male, 4 juv. ( SMF 1436 ), shaded jetty piles with hydroids and bryozoans, 1–3 m, 17.VI.1985 . 19 males (7 ov.), 18 fem. (14 gravid), 126 juv. ( SMF 1437 ), on Cnidoscyphus , from shaded jetty piles, 0–1 m, 17.X.1985 . 29 males (9 ov.), 18 fem. (9 gravid), 137 juv. ( SMF 1438 ), same locality, 24.XI. 1985 . 8 males (6 ov.), 5 fem. (3 gravid), 18 juv. ( SMF 1439 ), shaded jetty piles with different growth of epifauna and flora, 0–1 m, 17.XII.1985 . 5 juv. ( SMF 1440 ), same locality, 0–2 m, 1.II.1986 . 3 males (1 ov.), 3 fem. (1 gravid), 14 juv. ( SMF 1441 ), shaded jetty piles with poriferans and hydroids, 0–1 m, 14.III.1986 .

9.— 1 male ( SMF 1442 ), coral rubble, 6 m, 4.VIII.1985 . 1 ( SMF 1443 ), under stones, 0–1 m, 28.I.1986 .

10.— 1 male (ov.) ( SMF 1444 ), algae on rock, lower mesolittoral, 7.V.1985 .

15.— 1 fem. ( SMF 1445 ), on Sargassum , 10m, 27.VI.1985 .

16.— 1 male, 2 fem.(gravid) ( SMF 1466 ), on brown algae, mesolittoral, 12.II.1986 .

17.— 2 males (1ov.) ( SMF 1447 ), from Cnidoscyphus on rock, mesolittoral, 13.VIII.1985 . 1 male, 2 juv. ( SMF 1448 ), on stones in 0–0.5 m, 7.I.1986 .

19.— 9 males (6 ov.), 6 fem. (4 gravid), 7 juv. ( SMF 1449 ), Thalassia , 5 l of substratum, 0.5–4 m, 27.VI.1985 . 1 male, 1 juv. ( SMF 1450 ), same locality, 5.VII.1985 . 1 male ( SMF 1451 ), Thalassia , 5 l of substratum, 8.VIII.1985 . 1 fem. (gravid), 1 juv. ( SMF 1452 ), Thalassia , 5 l of substratum, 13.VIII.1985 . 1 male (ov.) ( SMF 1453 ), Thalassia , 5 l of substratum, 2.X.1985 . 1 male ( SMF 1454 ), Thalassia , 5 l of substratum, 8.XI.1985 . 1 male (ov.), 5juv. ( SMF 1455 ), Thalassia , 5 l of substratum, 7.XII.1985 . 2 juv. ( SMF 1456 ), Thalassia , 5 l of substratum, 7.I.1986 . 2 males (ov.), 3 legless adults, 3 juv. ( SMF 1457 ), Thalassia , 5 l of substratum, 12.II.1986 . 2 males (1 ov.) ( SMF 1458 ), Thalassia , 5 l of substratum, 3.III.1986 . 1 male, 2 juv. ( SMF 1459 ), Thalassia , 5 l of substratum, 2.IV.1986 . 1 adult without legs, 1 juv. ( SMF 1460 ), Thalassia , 5 l of substratum, 2.V.1986 .

20.— 1 male, 1 juv. ( SMF 1461 ), on Sargassum cymosum , from 5 l of substratum, 0–0.5 m, 7.I.1986 .

21.— 1 juv. ( SMF 1462 ), on Digenia simplex , 5 l substrattum, mesolittoral, 8.VII.1985 . 1 fem. (gravid), 1 juv. ( SMF 1463 ), on Digenia simplex , 5 l substratum, mesolittoral, 8.XI.1985 . 1 male ( SMF 1464 ), on Digenia simplex , 5 l substratum, mesolittoral, 3.III.1986 .

24.— 2 males (1 ov.), 1 fem. ( SMF 1465), Thalassia with corallinaceous algae and Cnidoscyphus , 1–2 m, 9.VIII.1985. 1 fem. (gravid) ( SMF 1466), Thalassia , 1 m, 4.IX.1985.

26.— 1 juv. ( SMF 1467 ), on mangrove roots, about 1 m, 14.III.1986 .

27.— 1 male ( SMF 1468 ), coral rubble in Thalassia , 0.5 m, 13.IX.1985 . 2 adult without legs, 1 juv. ( SMF 1469 ), coral rubble in Thalassia , 1m, 1.XI.1985 .

29.— 2 fem. (1gravid), 4 juv. ( SMF 1470 ), Thalassia , 1–2 m, 21.I.1986 .

34.— 3 males (1ov.), 1 fem. (gravid) ( SMF 1471 ), under stones, ca. 0.5 m, 10.IV.1986 .

37.— 1 fem. ( SMF 1472 ), from detritus, algae and hydroid, 6 m, 4.VI.1985 .

38.— 4 males (3 ov.), 1 fem. (gravid), 1 juv. ( SMF 1473 ), Thalassia , 0.5 m, 17.III.1986 .

39.— 1 fem. ( SMF 1474 ), on stones, mesolittoral, 14.IV.1986 .

42.— 3 males (1ov.), 4 adults without legs ( SMF 1475 ), coral rubble, 13 m, 28.II.1986 .

43.— 15 males (6 ov.), 3 fem. (2 gravid) ( SMF 1476 ), Thalassia , 25.II.1986 .

Description of male: Trunk relatively slender, oval in outline, fully segmented and often encrusted by detritus. Crurigers separated by about half their diameter. Cephalon on its antero-lateral margin with one single clavate seta. 2 nd segment often with pair of short clavate setae on dorsal face. Ocular process relatively low, 3 times as high as broad, with darkly pigmented eyes and pointed tip. Crurigers 1–3 bearing 1–2 simple setae on antero- and postero-lateral aspect; cruriger 4 with single postero-lateral seta only. Abdomen feebly curved dorsally, slightly overreaching posterior border of coxa 1 of 4th cruriger, irregularly armed with some clavate and simple setae, irregularly in position.

Proboscis long oval, largest in its middle, twice as long as broad. Two-articled scape of cheliphores about 7 times as long as broad, distal article twice as long as proximal article, distally enlarged; both articles bearing some clavate and some simple setae. Chela reduced to mere stump.

Palp of 9 articles, 2 nd and 4 th longest; 2 nd article about 4 times as long as broad, 4 th about 5.5 times as long as broad; terminal article as long as 7 th and 8 th together, with numerous short setae ventrally and distally. Oviger of 10 articles 2 nd, 4 th and 5 th articles elongated; 7 th article with pair of robust spines on flat tubercles; articles 8–10 with some serrated flat spines, largest on tiny terminal article.

Legs relatively slender; coxae 2 twice as long as coxae 1 and 1.5 times as long as coxae 3, all coxae armed with few simple setae; coxae 1 and coxae 2 in addition with some clavate setae. Femur, tibia 1 and tibia 2 of about even length; cement gland duct dorsodistal, 1/5 length of femur; tibia 1 and 2 bear some longer spines mounted on some low tubercles, in addition to short simple and clavate setae. Propodus feebly curved, no heel; sole with 3 robust spines in basal third and about 6 considerably shorter spines in the distal area; propodus dorsally armed with row of 3–4 spines; main claw feebly curved, 1/2 half as long as propodus; auxiliaries about 4/5 length of main claws.

Measurements: Trunk length about 0.7; width across 2 nd crurigers 0.52; length of abdomen 0.33; length of proboscis 0.45; length of cheliphores 0.37.Leg 3: coxa 1, 0.15; coxa 2, 0.31; coxa 3, 0.22; femur 0.62; tibia 1, 0.64; tibia 2, 0.66; tarsus 0.08; propodus 0.33, main claw 0.18; auxiliary 0.15.

Female: In habitus like male, but the pair of spines on 7 th oviger article absent and with 3 flat serrated spines in their place. Femur enlarged to contain ova; coxa 2 and coxa 3 more robust.

Remarks: As already mentioned in Child (1979: 12), A. spinifera is very variable in bodily proportions and in its chaetotaxy. In our material it is similar to A. appendiculata , from which it is easily differentiated by the low ocular process, the eyes much darker, the antero-lateral clavate setae on the cephalon and most often a pair of dorso-median clavate spines on the 2 nd trunk segment. In contrast to A. appendiculata , A. spinifera is often densely covered by detritus.

As the species was sampled frequently in the Santa Marta region it was ascertained that there is no limited reproduction period. Ovigerous males were encountered all year round except in July, females with ripe ova in their ovaries as well as juveniles were present all year round. No distinct substrate preference was noted, the species avoided deeper water in the region investigated (0–13m).

Distribution: Until the paper by Child (1979: 12) A. spinifera was known from the western coasts of America only, between California and Panamá, and from the Caribbean coast of Panamá. A much wider distribution in the Caribbean is to be expected, as indicated by the many localities in Colombia and two more in the eastern Caribbean ( Martinique, Müller 1990d: 278; Barbados, Müller 1992).

Figures

FIGURE 14. Ammothella spinifera Cole, 1904: A male dorsal, B male lateral, C male cheliphore, D male palp, E male oviger, F last three articles of male oviger, G male leg 3, H female leg 3, I female oviger, J distal 5 articles of female ovger.