Colossendeis colossea Wilson 1881

Colossendeis colossea . —Fry and Hedgpeth 1969: 53–54 [earlier literature]. — Child 1998: 56 –57. — Staples 2007 [literature]: 87, Figs 2, 7.

Material: AM P72971, 1 male. 26 November 2005, Point Hillier, Western Australia, CSIRO station 051-002, collected by Sherman sled from 35.5238°S 117.2130°E to 35.5337°S 117.2380°E, soft bottom, 1074 m.

Remarks: The taxonomic description of Colossendeis colossea has been recently reviewed by Staples (2007). This specimen adds to his list of material collected by the R/V Southern Surveyor. It mostly agrees with the description of other Australian specimens of C. colossea . The last oviger segment clearly tapers distally and it coalesces with the curved oviger claw. The proportions of the palp segment also correspond with those of C. colossea, although the present specimen has the distal segment of the right palp atrophied, appearing only as a small round bump. Colossendeis colossea is known as a cosmopolitan deep-sea species. In Australia it has been found in North West and West of Australia, South Australia and the South East (Staples 2007), but is yet to be found in the North East Australian waters; it is the only Colossendeis species known from Western Australia.