Epimeria (Drakepimeria) cyrano d'Acoz & Verheye 2017, subgen. et sp. nov.

Epimeria (Drakepimeria) cyrano subgen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 7E682282-1C82-4A2B-BEEC-54B05FEEA37C

Figs 44–50

‘ Clade A similis / macrodonta complex - SP1’ – Verheye et al. 2016a, supplement: 2 (online).

Etymology

Cyrano de Bergerac is the central character of the eponymous play by Edmond Rostand. In the play, Cyrano is described as endowed with a prominent nose. The name, which is a noun in apposition, alludes to the long, straight and anteriorly directed rostrum of the species.

Type material

Holotype

RV Polarstern cruises:

SOUTHERN OCEAN: 1 ♀, cruise PS77, ANT XXVII/3, CAMBIO, stn 263-6, eastern Weddell Sea, BENDEX area, 70°38.66ʹ S, 10°28.16ʹ W to 70°39.50ʹ S, 10°32.91ʹ W, depth not given [Google Earth depth range for the coordinates: 867–955 m (accessed 27 Sep. 2016)], gear: “BPT” (presumably benthopelagic trawl), 21 Mar. 2011, coll. Ch. Havermans and H. Robert (RBINS, INV. 132967) [extraction I16; Genbank nr, COI: KU870842, 28S: KU759618].

Description

ROSTRUM. Very long, reaching about tip of article 2 of peduncle of antenna 1, straight and anteriorly directed, sharp-tipped in lateral view.

EYE. Medium-sized, elliptic.

PEREION–PLEOSOME TOOTH PATTERN. All pereionites and pleosomites with large styliform mid-dorsal tooth and pair of large styliform dorsolateral teeth; the mid-dorsal tooth of pereionite 1 is oriented forward, the others are directed posteriorly, the most posterior ones being the most backwards directed; the size of the mid-dorsal teeth slightly increase backwards; pereionite 2 nearly as broad as pereionite 1.

COXAE 1–3. Strongly carinate, curving forward and laterally, distally very sharp.

COXA 4. Anterodorsal border weakly concave, and anteroventral border straight, the two border are joined by obtuse but very distinct angular discontinuity; anterior angle slightly projecting forward; ventral tooth medium-sized, long and styliform, curving laterally; lateral carina with lateral long and sharp styliform tooth pointing laterally (scarcely oriented backwards).

COXA 5. With sharp, broadly styliform, carinate, lateral tooth pointing laterally or rather slightly obliquely backwards.

COXA 6. With large, sharp and narrowly triangular, carinate, lateral tooth pointing obliquely backwards; posteroventral corner broadly rounded.

COXA 7. With ventral border rounded, and posterior border nearly straight, with posteroventral angle bluntly rounded.

EPIMERAL PLATES 1–3. Posteroventral angle produced into a very long styliform tooth.

UROSOME TOOTH PATTERN. Urosomite 1 with very long styliform tooth pointing upwards (or very slightly backwards); urosomite 2 without pair of small posterior dorsolateral teeth pointing upwards.

TELSON. Cleft on half of its length; tips of lobes blunt-tipped, slit of medium width, U-shaped.

PEDUNCLE OF ANTENNA 1. Article 1–2 with trace of medial tooth or teeth; articles 1–3 with tiny ventral tooth, otherwise without ornamentation.

GNATHOPODS 1–2. Gnathopods 1 and 2 a bit different, not narrowing distally: gnathopod 1 with propodus and especially carpus rather stout, with palm oblique and large; gnathopod 2 of normal slenderness, with palm oblique and large.

PEREIOPODS 5–7. Merus, carpus and propodus of pereiopods 5–7 very slender, dactylus fairly long; basis of pereiopods 5–6 narrow, with posteroproximal process reduced to a very low proximal protrusion merging without angular discontinuity with the posterior border, with posterodistal tooth very small, reduced to a broad acute angle scarcely projecting posteriorly; basis of pereiopod 7 fairly narrow with posterodistal tooth triangular and sharp, followed more proximally by low inconspicuous concavity, directed obliquely.

Colour pattern

White, with antennae and anterior part of body with a very pale pinkish hue; gnathopods and mouthparts blood red; eyes white.

Body length

23 mm.

Distribution

Eastern shelf of the Weddell Sea at about 867– 955 m.

Remarks

The only other species with long styliform teeth is E. oxicarinata, but it belongs to a separate subgenus. The holotype and unique specimen of E. cyrano sp. nov. was apparently collected with a benthopelagic trawl. As the morphology of the species suggests a benthic life style, it is possible that the trawl operated close to the seafloor or hit the seafloor.