Pseudopallene gilchristi Flynn 1928

Pseudopallene gilchristi (Flynn, 1928)

Pseudopallene gilchristi Flynn, 1928: 23 –25— Hedgpeth, 1948: 205 (in key) — Stock, 1953b: 295 –297 — Barnard, 1954: 107 — Stock, 1968: 39.

Remarks. Flynn (1928) described this species based on 18 specimens collected by tow-net in surface waters off Port Natal, South Africa. The present whereabouts of Flynn’s material is unknown and reliance is now placed entirely on published descriptions. Flynn noted the resemblance of his specimens to Cordylochele citing the slenderness and the extreme separation of the lateral processes. Superficially P. gilchristi is close to Cordylochele but the chelae in Cordylochele are distinctly globose, a character not evident in the published descriptions of P. gilchristi. Based on the presence of a setiferous wreath around the mouth (a character Flynn believed was not found in Cordylochele), and whilst observing that his species differed from other species of Pseudopallene, Flynn assigned his species to that genus. However based on the shape of the oviger claw as described by Stock (1968) and the absence of palp buds, P. gilchristi cannot be assigned to Pseudopallene. The differences in the oviger claw shapes are significant, particularly when comparing the oviger claw of C. longicollis (Fig. 4 F). Whilst P. gilchristi may agree with Meridionale in the shape of the oviger claw, it otherwise differs substantially with its widelyspaced lateral processes, long neck and linear habitus. Based on our present knowledge of P. gilchristi this species also cannot be assigned to Cordylochele or Meridionale with confidence. Clarification of the arrangement of the oviger claw shape is critical to the placement of P. gilchristi.

Stock’s (1968) female specimen collected off Lorenzo Marquez (now Maputo, Mozambique) which he assigned to P. gilchristi may be misidentified. Although Stock says his specimen is in complete agreement with Flynn’s description, he has illustrated a specimen with a short neck and ovigers implanted immediately behind the crop (Stock, 1968 fig. 14e). This is in contrast to Flynn’s figures which show a long neck and ovigers implanted at the base of the first lateral processes (Flynn, 1928, figs. 13a, b). Although Flynn’s illustration (fig 13b) is small and unreliable for diagnostic purposes the oviger claw appears to be long and it bears no resemblance to Stock’s figure. The shape of the oviger claw illustrated by Stock (1968, fig.14f) does appear however to be the same as that found in the genus Meridionale and is also very much like the illustration of the oviger claw of Spasmopallene reflexa (Stock, 1968 fig. 15g) which follows in his paper. Regardless of the oviger claw shape, if Stock’s figure of the cephalon is accurate, then his specimen is not P. gilchristi but perhaps may represent a species of Meridionale.

Based on Flynn’s figures, Pseudopallene gilchristi has some resemblance to Parapallene hospitalis Loman, 1908 which is probably misplaced in the genus Parapallene. Additional figures of P. hospitalis based on Smithsonian Institution loan specimen (USNM 78569) are provided (Figs. 4 G, H). In common with Stock’s figure of the P. gilchristi oviger claw, the oviger claw of P. hospitalis has teeth on both lateral margins. Were it not for the presence of cement glands in P. hospitalis then this species and P. gilchristi may be congeneric.

The slight groove observed by Flynn that divides the neck of P. gilchristi is not a diagnostic character but a character commonly attributed to the crimping of long-necked specimens that have been laid flat. In life the neck would have been directed more downward than illustrated by Flynn.

Distribution. West Indian Ocean, East coast of Africa.