Acanthephyra purpurea

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 : 471-472

ACANTHEPHYRA PURPUREA A. MILNE- EDWARDS, 1881

Type locality: North Atlantic Ocean , off Portugal, Ilhas Berlengas; 39°25′N, 9°30′W; 2590 m .

Known range: North-eastern Atlantic Ocean, between 20° and 53°N, 600–1800 m ( Chace, 1940, 1986; Zariquiey-Álvarez, 1968; Noël, 1992).

Occurrence at vents or seeps: limited to the Lucky Strike vent field of the MAR, 37°17′N, c. 1700 m ( Biscoito, 1997, in Desbruyères & Segonzac, 1997: 189).

Material: Although specimens have been collected from the Lucky Strike vent field, we have not been able to locate them (see below). Non-vent specimens are mentioned in the reviews of Chace (1940, 1986), Zariquiey-Álvarez (1968) and Noël (1992).

Remarks: Biscoito (1997, in Desbruyères & Segonzac, 1997) described this species as bathypelagic to benthic on continental slopes and locally abundant. He also noted that at Lucky Strike, one specimen had been caught at a baited fish trap ‘near the hydrothermal vent field’. We do not know the location of that specimen or any specimens from vent areas. M. Segonzac (pers. comm.) notes that the baited trap was ‘clearly out of vent influence’; thus, the species is questionably included here and will probably be deleted from the next version of the handbook of vent fauna.