A. tenuimanus, Sars, 1886, 282– 286, Pl. 3.
Material examined: 1 juvenile (NHM. 2008.3798), station RFI 2, 31º 53.328 ’N 034º 32.853 ’E, 58 m depth; fine mud, 25 May 2006.
Remarks. Recorded before off Israel (Haifa Bay) at 36 m depth by Băcescu (1961) and off Italy by Sars (1882; 1886). Not known outside the Mediterranean. This species is distinguishable from others in this region by its blunt, triangular rostrum, and reduced spination on pereopod 1 (only one ventral spine on the carpus); a small lateral spinose apophysis is present on the cephalothorax anterior to the branchial chamber.
Apseudes holthuisi B ă cescu, 1961
A. holthuisi Bäcescu, 1961, 146– 147, figs 21–27.
Apseudes talpa of Sars, 1882; Sars, 1886, 267– 282, Pl. 1–2, non Cancer Gammarus talpa Montagu, 1808
Material examined: 1 female with oostegites, 1 female with oostegites (dissected), 1 juvenile (NHM. 2008.3799–3800), station RFI 2, 31º 53.328 ’N 0 34 º 32.853 ’E, 58 m depth; 1 juvenile (NHM. 2008.3801), station RFI 1, 31º 53.640 ’N 034º 33.069 ’E, 57 m depth; 1 female, 1 juvenile (TAU AR 28404), station RFI 6, 31º 51 ’N 034º 31 ’E, 58 m depth; all fine mud, 25 May 2006. 14 specimens including 1 brooding female (NHM. 2008.4971–4980), RFI 2; 2 juveniles (NHM. 2008. 3802–3803), RFI 3, 31° 53.842 ’N 034° 33.300 ’E, 57.0 m depth; 5 juveniles (NHM. 2008. 3804–3808), RFI 4, 31° 54.193 ’N 034° 33.241 ’E, 59.0 m depth; 2 specimens (NHM. 2008.3809–3810), RFI 5, 31° 53.633 ’N 034° 33.251 ’E, 55.0 m depth; all fine mud, 0 3 May 2007. 1 female (TAU AR 28409), RFI 1; 2 juveniles (NHM. 2008.3811–3812), RFI 2; 3 specimens (TAU AR 28410), RFI 3; 4 juveniles (NHM. 2008.3813–3816), RFI 5; 6 females, 11 juveniles (TAU AR 28411), RFI 7, 31º 48.809 ’N 034º 28.892 ’E, 62 m depth; all fine mud, 20 October 2007.
Remarks. This exclusively Mediterranean species was distinguished from the north-east Atlantic species Apseudes talpa by Băcescu (1961), the type locality being “off Haifa”. Interpretation of the literature by Sieg (1983) gives a depth range from 2 to 300 m, but this is likely to be an overestimate. The carpus of pereopod 1 has two ventral spines; there is no branchial apophysis, but small anterolateral spinose apophyses are present on pereonites 2 to 6, those on the anterior pereonites being hook-like.