Bodotria africana Zimmer, 1920

Bochert, Ralf & Zettler, Michael L., 2011, Cumacea from the continental shelf of Angola and Namibia with descriptions of new species, Zootaxa 2978, pp. 1-33 : 5-8

Bodotria africana Zimmer, 1920

Figs. 2–5

Bodotria africana Zimmer, 1921: 118 , figs 1–3. Fage 1928: 331. LeLoeuff & Intes, 1972: 25; 1977: 1145, fig. 3. Not Bodotria africana Fage 1950: 450 . Jones, 1956: 195. Referred to B. scorpioides (LeLoeuff & Intes, 1977) .

Material examined. 1 ovigerous female, 3.9 mm; 1 preadult male, 3.9 mm; (St. 15: grab sampling; 15°17.559´S, 12°0.031´E) [ ZMB 27917]; 1 ovigerous female, 5.0 mm; (St. 34: grab sampling; 18°23.116´S, 11°55.2891´E) [ ZMB 27918]; 1 male, 5.2 mm; (St. 14: grab sampling; 15°10.834´S, 12°04.920´E) [ ZMB 27919]; 1 male, 7.2 mm; (St. 7: dredge sampling; 9°33.703´S, 13°06.020´E) [own collection]; 1 specimen; (St. 21: grab sampling; 17°17.349´S, 11°42.624´E) [own collection]; 1 male, 6.1 mm; (St. 30: grab sampling; 17°25.229´S, 11°39.139´E) [own collection].

Description. preadult male, 3.9 mm total length. Integument strong, with regular comb-like surface structure. Carapace ( Fig. 2 A) about 1.6 times as long as high; anterolateral angle prominent, blunt; antennal notch deeply indented; lateral carina dorsal to midlateral line extending along full length of carapace and pedigerous somites; midlateral depression behind the antennal notch, extending about half length of carapace, lower edge of depression forming a concave ridge, not meeting carina in front of posterior border, eye with a few lenses.

First antenna ( Fig. 3 B), peduncle triarticulate; flagellum biarticulate, with two aesthetascs distally; accessory flagellum rudimentary.

Maxilliped 3 ( Fig. 2 B), basis 2.2 times as long as the following five segments combined length, with its distal extension reaching to the end of merus, geniculated; with a row of six plumose setae on inner margin; outer margin of process with a row of short, fine setulae; merus slightly produced distally; carpus expanded, with one plumose seta distal and few plumose setae on inner margin; dactylus slender, with short setae distally.

Pereopods: pereopod 1 ( Fig. 5 A), basis 1.3 times longer than the following five segments combined length, with one long plumose seta distally, arcuate; ischium short; ischium and merus together slightly shorter than dactylus; carpus 1.5 times longer than dactylus; propodus 1.3 times longer than dactylus. Pereopod 2 ( Fig. 2 C), basis long and slender, about 1.3 times as long as the remaining segments; ischium fused with basis; remaining segments about same length, sparsely setaeous. Pereopod 3 ( Fig. 2 D) basis long and slender, about 1.3 times as long as the remaining segments, with two plumose setae; ischium short; carpus longest, merus slightly shorter than carpus; propodus slightly shorter than merus. Pereopod 4 ( Fig. 2 E) basis as long as the remaining segments; rest of the limb similar to pereopod 3. Pereopod 5 ( Fig. 2 F) basis shorter than the remaining segments; rest of the limb similar to pereopod 3.

Uropod ( Fig. 4 B) peduncle twice as long as rami; inner margin unarmed; exopod and endopod of same length; endopod biarticulate, basal article 2.6 times longer than second article, basal article with three setae on inner edge; second article with two terminal setae; exopod with six plumose setae on inner edge and three terminal spines of different length.

Ovigerous female ( Figs. 3 A–D), 3.9 mm total length. Same as male with following exceptions: Pereopod 1 ( Fig. 3 D), basis 1.1 times longer than the following five segments combined length, with one long plumose setae distally; ischium short; ischium and merus together slightly shorter than dactylus; carpus and propodus of same length, 1.5 times longer than dactylus. Pereopod 2 ( Fig. 3 E), basis only slightly longer than remaining segments. Endopod of uropod ( Fig. 4 A) basal article with three setae of increasing length towards posterior end interspersed with hyaline serrations on inner edge; second article interspersed with hyaline serrations and with two terminal setae.

Remarks. B. africana was described and figured by Zimmer (1921) from an adult male from Freetown ( Sierra Leone). LeLoeuff & Intes (1977) described and figured an ovigerous female from Ivory Coast. In general, only a few individuals have been collected until now. There is still some confusion within this genus and between species known from West Africa. LeLoeuff & Intes (1977) corrected some earlier determinations from B. africana to related species of the genus B. scorpioides , B. lata and B. laevigata . The morphological features of our sparse material match the best with B. africana . The shape of the carapace with a lateral carina and an obvious depression distinguished it from B. laevigata . The latter has no trace of lateral ridges or carinae. The aspect ratio of pereopod 1 carpus, propodus and dactylus of 15: 13: 10 found in the individuals in our samples differs from that of B. scorpioides , which has a carpus of pereopod 1 nearly twice as long as propodus. In B. lata the rami of the uropod are more than half length of peduncle. All other distinguishing characters, like armature of peduncle and endopod of uropod, as well as of the pereopods differ slightly between individuals and are variations due to age-related developmental sizes or are secondary sexual characters. In this context size-related morphological variations were observed for several appendages. In young individuals the prolongation of the basis of maxilliped 3 reaches the carpus but in older individuals the tip of the basis reaches the articulation of merus and carpus only. The growth of pereopod 1 occurs mainly in the basis, whereas the remaining articles maintain nearly the same lengths. The ratio of both parts of the limb rises from 1.3 in the preadult male (3.9 mm total length) to 2.1 in the adult male (7.2 mm total length) ( Fig. 4 ). Additionally the basis becomes more calcified and a few spines of increasing length grow mid-laterally. The growth of the uropods comprises mainly the peduncle ( Fig. 4 ). Its length rises from about 460– 500 µm in small individuals (3.9 mm total length) to about 800 µm in adults (7.2 mm total length). The ratio between peduncle length and rami length increases from about 2 to 2.5. The number of plumose setae carried by the exopod rises from five in younger males up to seven with growth. Similar increases were observed for armature of the peduncle and the endopod. The development of one plumose seta on distal position of outer margin of the proximal article of the endopod was observed for the first time in male of 6.1 mm total length.

Distribution. North West Africa: Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast from 5°–9° N; South West Africa: Angola and Namibia from 9°–18° S

Figures

FIGURE 2. Bodotria africana Zimmer, 1921, preadult male. A, lateral view; B, maxilliped 3; C, pereopod 2; D, pereopod 3; E, pereopod 4; F, pereopod 5.

FIGURE 3. Bodotria africana Zimmer, 1921, ovigerous female. A, lateral view; B, antenna 1; C, maxilliped 3; D, pereopod 1; E, pereopod 2; F, pereopod 3; G, pereopod 4; H, pereopod 5.

FIGURE 4. Bodotria africana Zimmer, 1921, uropods. A, female 3.9 mm length; B, preadult male 3.9 mm length; C, adult male 5.2 mm length; D, adult male 7.2 mm length.

FIGURE 5. Bodotria africana Zimmer, 1921, pereopods 1. A, preadult male 3.9 mm length; B, adult male 7.2 mm length.