Ammotheidae (Arthropoda: Pycnogonidae) collected during the Victoria Land Transect cruise 2004 (Ross Sea, Antarctica), with a description of a new species of Ammothea

Abstract

Specimens belonging to the pycnogonid family Ammotheidae collected during the Victoria Land Transect 2004 cruise (Ross Sea, Antarctica) were studied. Five species are recognized in this collection, three species of Ammothea, one of Achelia and one of Austroraptus. Some information about the variability of the propodal armature of Ammothea glacialis is discussed. The rare species Ammothea meridionalis is reported for the fifth time, enlarging its known bathymetric range. A new species in the genus Ammothea is described, Ammothea victoriae. The new taxon is compared with its closest congeners, especially with A. armentis, A. gordonae and A. carolinensis. Both morphotypes of Achelia spicata are reported, some additional morphological differences having been detected between them. Austroraptus calcaratus is reported for the third time, and with our specimens 14 individuals are now known. Present and previous data show a restricted geographical and bathymetric distribution.

Keywords:

• Achelia
• Ammothea
• Ammotheidae
• Antarctica
• Austroraptus
• Pycnogonida

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the officers and crew and many colleagues for their help on board during the VLT-2004 (Italica, XIX Spedizione) cruise. We take this opportunity to extend our thanks to the cruise leader and steering committee of the cruise, especially Riccardo Cattaneo, Maria Chiara Chiantore and Roberto Meloni, who kindly facilitated the work on board and for the opportunity to collaborate in this Antarctic programme. Support for this work was provided by the Spanish CICYT project CGL2004-20062-E.

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark