Munidopsis acuminata Benedict, 1902

Macpherson, Enrique & Segonzac, Michel, 2005, Species of the genus Munidopsis (Crustacea, Decapoda, Galatheidae) from the deep Atlantic Ocean, including cold-seep and hydrothermal vent areas, Zootaxa 1095 (1), pp. 1-60 : 8-9

Munidopsis acuminata Benedict, 1902 ( Fig. 1 )

Munidopsis acuminata Benedict, 1902: 277 , fig. 21.— Doflein & Balss, 1913: 177 (list).— Chace, 1942: 73 (key).— Pequegnat & Pequegnat, 1970: 139 (key); 1971: 6 (key).

Material examined. Off South Carolina, ALBATROSS, Stn 2663, 29º39’N, 79º49’W, 781 m, 04.05.1886: 1 male 11.3 mm, 1 ovig. female 10.8 mm (syntypes, USNM 11490 ) .

Diagnosis. Carapace without dorsal spines, cervical groove indistinct; frontal margins between rostrum and antennal spine transverse, and oblique between antennal spine and anterolateral spine; anterolateral spine followed posteriorly by 2 or 3 spines on hepatic margin and 1 spine on anterior branchial margin. Rostrum wide, dorsally weakly carinated, distally trifid, nearly horizontal but slightly upturned distally. Sternites smooth, unarmed; anterior margin of third thoracic sternite with small granules, slightly wider than anterior margin of fourth sternite. Abdominal tergites unarmed; sixth segment bearing posterolateral lobes somewhat exceeding nearly straight transverse median margin. Telson composed of 7 plates. Eyestalk unarmed, slightly movable, partially concealed by rostrum. Antennal peduncle with distomesial and distolateral spines on articles 1 and 2, strong distomesial spine on third segment. Merus of third maxilliped with strong distal spine on extensor margin and 2 spines on flexor border. Chelipeds elongate, longer than first walking legs; merus and carpus with well­developed spines on dorsal and distal borders. Walking legs with spines on extensor margins of merus and carpus; dactylus flexor margin with 7 low triangular teeth, each bearing movable spinule. Epipods on chelipeds, not on walking legs.

Remarks. This species was briefly described by Benedict (1902) from 2 specimens (male and female) collected off South Carolina at 781 m. No additional material has been reported.

Munidopsis acuminata belongs to the group of species having epipods on the chelipeds, unarmed eyestalks, the broad, flat and tridentate rostrum, and the unarmed dorsal surface of the carapace and abdomen ( Chace 1942, Pequegnat & Pequegnat 1970, 1971). The closest congener is M. anemia n. sp. (see below).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Munidopsis acuminata Benedict, 1902, syntypes, off South Carolina, ALBATROSS, Stn 2663, USNM 11490. A–E, male (11.3 mm), F–G, detached pereiopods of two syntypes. A, carapace, dorsal. B, posterior part of sixth abdominal segment and telson. C, anterior part of sternal plastron. D, left antennule, antenna and ocular peduncle, ventral. E, endopod of right third maxilliped, lateral. F, right cheliped, lateral. G, left second pereiopod, lateral. Scale: A = 4 mm, B–C = 1 mm, D–G = 2 mm.