Pterygosquilla Hilgendorf, 1890

Pterygosquilla Hilgendorf, 1890 View in CoL View at ENA

Pterygosquilla Hilgendorf, 1890: 172 View in CoL . [ Type species Pterygosquilla laticauda Hilgendorf, 1890 , by monotypy].

Diagnosis. Eye with cornea strongly bilobed, width less than 0.30 CL. A1 somite dorsal processes with short slender apices, directed anterolaterally. Ocular scales present as short anteriorly directed spines or rounded projections. Carapace with anterolateral spines; dorsal carinae reduced, with reflected MG and reduced LT carinae; median posterior margin straight or slightly concave; posterolateral margin rounded. Raptorial claw dactylus with 6 or more teeth; carpus with short undivided dorsal carina; merus without outer inferodistal spine. Mandibular palp absent. MXP1–4 with epipod. PLP1 endopod in adult males with posterior endite; hook process with distal point. TS5–7 lateral process single. AS 1–5 with or without SM carina; with IM, LT and MG carinae. AS 6 with SM, IM, LT carinae. Telson subquadrate; dorsolateral surface with low SM swelling; SM teeth with movable apices; IM and LT teeth distinct; prelateral lobe absent; ventrolateral carinae absent. Uropodal protopod inner margin crenulate.

Composition. Pterygosquilla armata (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) ; P. capensis Manning, 1969a ; P. gracilipes ( Miers, 1881) ; P. schizodontia ( Richardson, 1953) .

Remarks. Until now, Pterygosquilla was distinguished from other members of the Squillidae by the combination of reduced carapace carinae, movable apices of the SM teeth of the telson and spiniform ocular scales. However, the present series of Pterygosquilla capensis showed some variation in ocular scale morphology. As some specimens exhibit rounded rather than spiniform ocular scales, the ocular scale morphology can no longer be used as a feature to always distinguish the genus Pterygosquilla from other squillids. Pterygosquilla is most similar to Meiosquilla Manning, 1968b , Distosquilla Manning, 1977b and Squilloides Manning, 1968b , sharing reduced carapace carination, a telson with indistinct MG carina and lacking a prelateral lobe, ventrolateral carina of the telson and a mandibular palp. Pterygosquilla is distinguished from the Squillidae genera from within South Africa that have the cornea broader than stalk, share a single process on TS5, lack a MD carina on the carapace and telson SM teeth with movable apices by having anterolateral spines of the carapace. Species of Pterygosquilla are restricted to the temperate waters of the southern hemisphere, occurring in South Africa, New Zealand, and southern South America.