Callipallene pectinata ( Calman, 1923 )

Child, C. Allan, 2002, Some Pycnogonida from the Eastern (Hasa) District of Saudi Arabia, Journal of Natural History 36 (15), pp. 1805-1821 : 1819

Callipallene pectinata ( Calman, 1923)

Pallene pectinata Calman, 1923: 275–276 , gure 5.

Callipallene pectinata Calman, 1938: 154 ; Stock, 1964: 28–31, gures 2–4, 1968: 38–39; Arnaud, 1972: 161; Child, 1988: 141.

Material examined. United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi, Ruwais Basin, coll. S. Grabe, 2–8 February 1989 (two, three) .

Saudi Arabia: 120 separate lots with 360 1 specimens collected during most months of the year from all Northern Area Baseline Survey sites including Bandar Mish’ab , Safaniya , Ras Tanajib , Musharriba Bay , Manifa , Abu’Ali Island , Ju’aymah and Ras Tanura. Part of these collections came from Tarut Bay and the Gulf of Bahrain during the survey eVorts in those places. The depths collected were littoral to 10 m. It is deemed unnecessary to list all 120 lots individually of this, the only species which can be regarded as truly common in the Gulf .

Distribution. This species is common along the shore at all collecting sites from the Gulf of Bahrain to as far north as Bandar Mish’ab. Calman described the species from an unknown locality, but the above wealth of specimens from the Gulf points strongly toward an eastern or southern Saudi type location. It was previously reported on the southern Arabian coast, the Red Sea in the Dahlak Archipelago, Madagascar, and in the Andaman Islands in littoral to 66 m depths. It therefore appears to be con ned to the Indian Ocean and its oVshoots.

Remarks. This species is a rather plain short-necked form which has few unique features with which to identify it besides the pectinate auxiliary claws. It is the only Callipallene species known to the Saudi Arabian coasts. With such a large number of specimens, the range of variations are well displayed. There are no cement gland tubes: the tiny ventral gland pores are diYcult to nd and to count, but the total per leg appears to be variable.

The chelae teeth usually numbered from seven to nine, but only six were present in some subadult specimens. The proximoventral spines on the auxiliary claws were more often than not missing. When present, they usually numbered two or three but sometimes there is only a single spine. The slight variation in length of neck is not a valid diagnostic character.