Alvinocaris muricola, WILLIAMS, 1988

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 : 462

ALVINOCARIS MURICOLA WILLIAMS, 1988

Type locality: Gulf of Mexico, West Florida Escarpment , from cold brine seep; 26°01′N, 84°54.61′W; 3277 m .

Known range: type locality, Gulf of Guinea, and possibly Blake Ridge seeps ( Van Dover et al., 2003; see below), as well as the Barbados Accretionary Prism ( Olu et al., 1996b, 1997).

Material: type locality, Alvin dive 1754; 3277 m; 15 October 1986. Holotype: male, USNM 234288 . Allotype: type locality, Alvin dive 1753; 3277 m; female, USNM 234289 ; 14 October 1986; Paratype: 1 female, USNM 234290 ( Williams, 1988).

– Alvin dive 3636; 29 October 2000; C. Van Dover’s personal collection (non-types, 2 males, 12 females, 1 juvenile) ( T. Komai, pers. comm.; see also Turnipseed et al., 2004) .

– South Barbados, Orénoque A site, 10°19.64′N, 58°53.33′W; DIAPISUB, Nautile dive DS 04; 1697 m; 27 December 1992; MNHN-Na (non-type, 1 female) .

– Gulf of Guinea, west equatorial African margin, Régab site; ZAÏROV, ROV Victor dive 74-14; 3200 m; 27 December 2000; ‘claw jaw’; MNHN-Na 14277 (nontype, 1 female), CBM-ZC 7042 (non-type, 1 female) .

– Gulf of Guinea, west equatorial African margin, Régab site; BIOZAÏRE 1, ROV Victor dive 81-5; 3200 m; 10 January 2001; slurp gun; MNHN-Na 14278 (non-types, 1 male, 2 females, 4 juveniles) .

– Gulf of Guinea, west equatorial African margin, Régab site; BIOZAÏRE 2, ROV Victor dive 146-9; 3200 m; 28 November 2001; slurp gun 1; IFREMER (non-types, 3 females); same dive, slurp gun 2-1; IFREMER [non-types, 7 males, 14 females (2 ovigerous), 9 juveniles]; same dive, slurp gun 2-2; IFREMER (non-types, 7 males, 18 females, 12 juveniles) .

– Gulf of Guinea, west equatorial African margin, Régab site; BIOZAÏRE 2, ROV Victor dive 146-9, slurp gun 3; IFREMER (non-types, 20 males, 1 juvenile) .

– Gulf of Guinea, west equatorial African margin, Régab site; BIOZAÏRE 2, ROV Victor dive 147-10; 1 December 2001; slurp gun 1-1; IFREMER (non-type, 1 male) ; same dive, slurp gun 1-2; IFREMER (nontypes, 2 females) ; same dive, slurp gun 3; IFREMER (non-types, 2 males, 18 females, 3 juveniles) ; same dive; slurp gun 5-1; IFREMER (non-types, 4 males, 10 females, 2 juveniles) ; same dive; slurp gun 5-2; IFRE- MER (non-type, 4 males, 1 female) .

– Gulf of Guinea, west equatorial African margin, 2 km from Régab site; BIOZ-RECUP using R / V Suroit, MAC (module autonome de colonisation); 3150 m; January 2003; MAC 10-147; IFREMER (non-types, 3 juveniles) . – same site; MAC 10-151; IFREMER (nontypes, 2 juveniles) . – same site; MAC 10-159; IFRE- MER (non-types, 2 juveniles) .

Remarks: This species is the only Alvinocaris known from any cold seep (although a second species is being described from the Blake Ridge Diapir; T. Komai, pers. comm.). Until recently, this species was known only from its type locality in the Gulf of Mexico. It is now known from South Barbados and from extensive collections made in the Gulf of Guinea ( Olu et al., 1996a; T. Komai, pers. comm.) and from the Blake Ridge Diapir ( T. Komai, pers. comm.).

A morphologically very similar shrimp (referred to as Alvinocaris cf. muricola ) was reported from the Blake Ridge seeps by Van Dover et al. (2003); that species is being described as new by Komai et al. (in press).