Callipallene longicoxa Stock, 1955

Müller, Hans-Georg & Krapp, Franz, 2009, The pycnogonid fauna (Pycnogonida, Arthropoda) of the Tayrona National Park and adjoining areas on the Caribbean coast of Colombia 2319, Zootaxa 2319 (1), pp. 1-138 : 72-74

Callipallene longicoxa Stock, 1955

Fig. 38

Callipallene brevirostris longicoxa Stock, 1955: 223–226 .

Callipallene belizae Child, 1982: 363 .

Callipallene longicoxa — Stock, 1986: 403.

Material: 4.— 1 male, 1 juv. ( SMF 1500 ), coral rubble, 25 m, 18.IX.1985 . 1 male (ov.) ( SMF 1501 ), on poriferans and hydroids, 25–30 m, 18.IX.1985 . 1 adult ( SMF 1502 ), coral rubble, 30 m, 10.III.1986 .

5.— 6 adults (2ov.) ( SMF 1503 ), coral rubble, 30 m, 18.II.1986 .

9.— 1 fem. (gravid) ( SMF 1504 ), coral rubble, 30 m, 21.IX.1985 .

12.— 1 adult ( SMF 1505 ), coral rubble, 17–19 m, 9.I.1986 .

42.— 1 adult ( SMF 1506 ), coral rubble, 13 m, 28.II.1986 .

45.— 1 male (ov.), 1 adult ( ZMA 3369 ), algae, hydroids and bryozoans on rock, 6–10 m, 25.IX.1985 .

Description of male and female: Dorsal outline a long oval, the two distal segments fused. Crurigers smooth, without setae, barely longer then broad, separated by their own diameter. Ocular process twice higher than basal diameter, distal tip elongated. Eyes large, feebly pigmented. The origins of ovigers in full contact with the anterior surface of first crurigers. Abdomen around 1.5 times as long as broad, nearly upright and without setae. Proboscis 1.6 times as long as broad, its distal half broader and apically obtusely rounded.

Cheliphores relatively robust; scape twice longer than its diameter, some distal setae; chela robust, moderately curved, cutting edges with tiny denticles; at base of immovable finger some slender setae. Oviger 10-articled, very slender; 5 th article slightly shorter than longest 4 th article, with latero-distal apophysis bearing a seta, and 6 slender setae in a row; the 4 distal articles of similar length, each with a series of serrated spines according to the formula 8:7:7:6.

Legs very slender, only tibiae densely setose. Second coxae very much prolonged (hence specific name), 2.7 times as long as first and second coxae together. Femur longer than tibia 1, 8.5 times as long as broad at the largest diameter; tibia 2 longest leg article, its distal half slightly narrower. Tarsus as long as broad, 5 slender setae and a ventral robust spine; propodus feebly curved, without distinct heel; sole in proximal third with 4 robust spines, distally with 8 small spines and about 4 slender setae; main claw moderately curved and robust, half as long as propodus and barely longer than the narrower auxiliaries.

Measurements (male): Trunk length 1.1, width 0.44 (across 2 nd crurigers); length of abdomen 0.13; length of proboscis 0.25; length of cheliphore scape 0.2; length of chela 0.31; length of articles of leg 3: coxa 1—0.12; coxa 2—0.81; coxa 3—0.19; femur 1.3; tibia 1—1.18; tibia 2—1.55; tarsus 0.08; propodus 0.34; main claw 0.15; auxiliary claw 0.13.

Remarks: Callipallene longicoxa is possibly most closely related to C.brevirostris, Stock (1955b: 223) described it as subspecies of that species. In 1986 (p. 424) Stock rised C. longicoxa to species status. This is clearly warranted, when comparing the morphology and preferred substrata of C. brevirostris and C. longicoxa . While the former species is much more compact (figs. 34–35), prefers the uppermost shallow regions and reaches even to the surf zone, C. longicoxa is a slender form of the sublittoral in the Santa Marta region from 6–30m, in literature it is recorded from deeper waters (24–37 m in Stock 1986: 424).

Stock assumed Child’s (1982: 363) Callipallene belizae from Belize to be conspecific with longicoxa . We agree, as it does not seem justified to give it species status based on a slightly more compact build. C. belizae is here regarded as a junior synonym of C. longicoxa .

Distribution: St.Thomas and St. John (Lesser Antilles, Stock 1955b: 223), Belize (Child 1982: 363, under C. belizae ), Florida ( Stock 1986: 403) and Caribbean coast of Colombia.

Figures

FIGURE 38. Callipallene longicoxa Stock, 1955, male: A trunk dorsal, B ocular process, C proboscis ventral, D chela anterior, E chela posterior, F oviger, G article 5 of oviger with foliose spines, H article 10 of oviger with foliose spines, I leg 3, J propodus and tarsus of leg 3.