Lycaeopsis zamboangae Stebbing

Lycaeopsis zamboangae (Stebbing) (Figs 3 & 4)

Phorcorrhaphis zamboangae Stebbing, 1888: 1452 –1455, pl. 180. Chevreux 1900: 148 –149, pl. 18, fig. 1a–d.

Lycaeopsis zamboangae Chevreux 1913: 22 –24, fig. 9. Spandl 1924: 27 –28, fig. 3. Spandl 1927: 213. Pirlot 1930: 28 –30, fig. 9. Barnard 1930: 426. Barnard 1931: 129. Chevreux 1935: 195 – 196, pl. 14, fig. 9. Pirlot 1939: 43. Hurley 1956: 20. Hurley 1960: 281. Pillai 1966: 222 –224, figs 13, 13a. Dick 1970: 64, fig. 10 (part). Thurston 1976: 433. Tranter 1977: 648 (table), 650. Stuck et al. 1980: 365. Brusca 1981: 30 (key), 43, fig. 16 (part). Vinogradov et al. 1982: 360, fig. 193. Vinogradov 1990: 71. Vinogradov 1991: 261 (table). Vinogradov 1993: 48 –51. Lin & Chen 1994: 115, 118 (list). Lin et al. 1995: 122 (table). Shih & Chen 1995: 143 –145, figs 90, 91. Lin et al. 1996: 230 (table). Zeidler 1998: 70 –72, fig. 39 A. Gasca & Shih 2001: 496 (table). Lima & Valentin 2001: 473 (list), 475 (table). Gasca & Suárez­Morales 2004: 26 (table) Lycaeopsis lindbergi Bovallius, 1887: 29. Pirlot 1929: 143 –144.

Lycaeopsis pauli Stebbing, 1888: 1459 –1461, pl. 209C. New synonymy.

Lycaeopsis neglecta Pirlot, 1929: 144, fig. 8. Pirlot 1939: 43. Shoemaker 1945: 242. Thurston 1976: 432.

Lycaeopsis themistoides [misidentification in part]. Zeidler 1978: 20 –21, fig. 21. (SAMA C3678).

Type material

The holotype male of Phorcorrhaphis zamboangae is in the BMNH (89.5.15.246). The type locality is off Zamboanga, The Philippines.

Type material of synonyms

Type material of L. lindbergi could not be found at the SMNH, ZMUC or in Uppsala and is considered lost. Some authors have considered this species a probable synonym of L. themistoides. However, Bovallius’s (1887) description seems to be based on a female, and, although it is very brief, he describes the telson as “nearly twice longer than the peduncles of the last pair of uropods”, which is characteristic of L. zamboangae.

The holotype of L. pauli is in the BMNH (89.5.15.248). Although the specimen is in poor condition, it is readily identified with L. zamboangae, based on the morphology of the first antennae, pereopod 6, and the double urosomite (assisted by Stebbing’s description and figures). As with the previous species, Stebbing (1888) did not appreciate the sexual dimorphism in this genus, and that his species was merely the female of L. zamboangae, the original description of which was based on a male. Prior to this review, L. pauli was considered a synonym of L. themistoides (e.g. Vinogradov et al. 1982).

Type material of L. neglecta could not be found at the MNHN or MOM and is considered lost. Pirlot (1929) only had females, and like Stebbing (1888), probably did not appreciate the sexual dimorphism of this genus. It is regarded a synonym of L. zamboangae because Pirlot’s figures and description are consistent with the characters given here for this species.

Material examined

Types. Holotype male of Phorcorrhaphis zamboangae from “off Samboangan, Philippine Islands ”, 8º32N 121º55E, surface, Challenger, 27 October, 1874: two microscope slides. The holotype female of L. pauli, from off St. Pauls Rocks, 1º10N 28º23W, surface, Challenger, 27 August, 1873: one microscope slide.

Other material examined. Tasman Sea: 1 lot (SAMA), 1 specimen. Coral Sea: 1 lot (BMNH, 1 specimen. North Atlantic: 1 lot (BMNH), 5 lots (CMN), 5 lots (USNM), 4 lots (ZMB), 19 specimens. South Atlantic: 1 lot (BMNH) 1 specimen. North Pacific: 4 lots (USNM), 5 specimens. Indian: several lots (SAM), several specimens.

Diagnosis

Head obliquely oval in vertical plane, in males often almost horizontal with buccal mass aligned in horizontal plane (Fig. 3 I). Antennae 1 of female with peduncle of two articles (total 4 articles). Antennae 2 of male about as long as mandibular palp. Pereopod 6 of male; basis with evenly convex posterior margin; merus with posterodistal bulge, relatively wider than in L. themistoides. Pereopod 6 of females with merus longer than carpus. Uropod 2; exopod reaches to about the middle of the endopod of U3. Uropod 3; peduncle length is about one­third length of exopod. Telson about twice as long as peduncle of U 3 in females; bottle­shaped in males extending past the exopod of U3.

Remarks

The similarity of this species to L. themistoides has already been discussed under that species. Generally it is more slender in appearance.

In the male illustrated here, the mandibular palp on the right mandible consists of two articles (Fig. 3 E), but on the left all articles of the palp are fused. This observation supports the view that the mandibular palp in Lycaeopsis has not been reduced to one article, but that the articles are fused.

Virtually nothing is known about the biology of this species. Its association with a gelatinous host remains to be recorded, but like its congener, the host is most likely a siphonophore. Vinogradov (1993) found five sexually mature males in deep­water collection trays near two hydrothermal vents in the eastern Pacific, at a depth of 2640 m. This is an unexpected find, as it is known as a surface­water species, and was not previously recorded as associated with benthic communities.

Distribution

This is a relatively rare species widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions.