Munidopsis beringana

Martin, Joel W. & Haney, Todd A., 2005, Decapod crustaceans from hydrothermal vents and cold seeps: a review through 2005, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 145 (4), pp. 445-522 : 478

MUNIDOPSIS BERINGANA BENEDICT, 1902

Type locality: North Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea, Steamer Albatross sta. 3603; 3373 m.

Known range: Bering Sea to Oregon at 2800–3276 m ( Ambler 1980, non-vent areas).

Occurrence at vents or seeps: questionably in the Middle America Trench at 3700–4000 m and at shallower seep communities in the same region ( Chevaldonné & Olu, 1996) (see below).

Material: type locality; 3 specimens; USNM 20557 (holotype) .

Remarks: Because M. beringana is usually found from the Bering Sea to Oregon at 2800–3276 m ( Ambler, 1980), the presence of this species at a vent site that is out of this range and depth (3700–4000 m depth, west of Mexico in the Middle America Trench) is questionable ( Chevaldonné & Olu, 1996: 290). The collected specimens apparently have slight morphological variations that also suggest the possibility that they are not conspecific with true M. beringana ( Chevaldonné & Olu, 1996: 290) ; the authors cited personal communication with E. Macpherson in connection with samples but did not provide the details of such collections.