Archasterope Poulsen 1965

Genus ARCHASTEROPE Poulsen, 1965

Type-species. Archasterope dentata Poulsen, 1965.

Composition. The genus Archasterope includes 15 species, of which the following species are known from the study area: A. quinquesetae (Skogsberg, 1920), A. dentata Poulsen, 1965, A. pentathrix (Kornicker, 1971 ) , A. weddellensis (Kornicker, 1975), A. antarctica (Kornicker, 1975), A. bulla Kornicker, 1975, A. aff. quinquesetae (in: Hartmann 1986), A. unisetosa (Hartmann, 1989), A. verax Kornicker, 1996 (in Kornicker & Poore 1996), A. efficax Kornicker, 1996 (in Kornicker & Poore 1996), A. altrix Kornicker, 1996 (in Kornicker & Poore 1996), A. apex Kornicker, 1996 (in Kornicker & Poore 1996).

Distribution. Members of this genus are distributed from 71°N (Beaufort Sea) (Kornicker 1988) to the Weddell Sea (Kornicker 1975). Known depth range is 40–2579 m.

1. Dorsal margin of mandibular basale with 1 seta at midlength................................................... 2

- Dorsal margin of mandibular basale with 3–7 seta at midlenght................................................. 3

2. Posterior infold of carapace with 6 processes; ventral margin of maxilla basale near midlength with 9–11 setae.... A. efficax

- Posterior infold of carapace with 7 processes; ventral margin of maxilla basale near midlength with 5 setae...... A.unisetosa

3. Dorsal margin of mandibular basale with 1 seta at midlength, ventral margin of maxilla basale near midlength with 9–11 setae............................................................................................. A. efficax

- Dorsal margin of mandibular basale with 3–7 seta at midlength, ventral margin of maxilla basale near midlength with 1–7 setae.................................................................................................... 4

4. 7th limb with more than 20 setae......................................................................... 5

- 7th limb with less than 20 setae.......................................................................... 6

5. 7th limb with 22–26 setae, dorsal margin of mandibular basale with 5 setae at midlength, lateral eye with 9–10 ommatidia........................................................................................... A. quinquesetae

- 7th limb with 30 setae, dorsal margin of mandibular basale with 3–4 setae at midlength, lateral eye with 3 ommatidia................................................................................................. A. antarctica

6. Lateral eyes absent.................................................................................... 7

- Lateral eyes present.................................................................................... 8

7. Anterior margin of 6th limb with 2 setae, 7th limb with 14 setae and 14 teeth on each comb...................... A. bulla

– Anterior margin of 6th limb with 1 seta, 7th limb with 12 setae and 13 teeth on each comb...................... A. verax

8. Dorsal margin of mandibular basale with 7 setae at midlength, basale of maxilla with 1 distal dorsal seta and 1 ventral middle seta............................................................................................ A. apex

- Dorsal margin of mandibular basale with 3–5 setae at midlength, basale of maxilla with 2–4 distal dorsal seta and 6–7 ventral middle seta........................................................................................... 9

9. Lateral eye with 23 ommatidia, basale of maxilla with 1 ventral distal seta.................................. A. altrix

- Lateral eye with 3–12 ommatidia, basale of maxilla with 6–7 ventral distal setae................................... 10

10. Lateral eye with 8–12 ommatidia.................................................................. A. dentata

- Lateral eye with 3 ommatidia........................................................................... 11

11. Carapace length more than 3.0 mm, basale of maxilla with 3 distal dorsal setae, 7th limb with 16–17 setae and 12–13 teeth on each comb............................................................................... A. weddellensis

- Carapace length less than 2.6 mm, basale of maxilla with 2 distal dorsal setae, 7th limb with 18 setae and 14–17 teeth on each comb..................................................................................... A. pentathrix