Danalia cervix, Boyko & Van Der Meij, 2018

DANALIA CERVIX View in CoL SP. NOV.

( FIGS 6A, 11F)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C5720E4D-F79B-4AAE-9B2C-20AEF77AC607

‘cryptoniscine isopod parasites’ Kropp & Manning, 1987: 10, 12 [ Belize, examined herein].

Type material

Curaçao: Immature holotype female (9.0 mm), two paratype cryptoniscus larvae (1.05 mm each) (RMNH. Crus. I. 7751), ex abdomen of female Opecarcinus hypostegus ( Shaw & Hopkins, 1977) (5.6 mm long × 4.5 mm wide) (RMNH.D.56099), ex Agaricia lamarcki H. Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851 ( Agariciidae ), Playa Lagun, 12°19′ 69″N, 69°09′00″W, 35 m depth, 29 October 2013, coll. S. E. T. van der Meij.

Belize: Two immature paratype females (0.6, 0.7 mm) (USNM 1437664), ex abdomen of female Opecarcinus hypostegus ( Shaw & Hopkins, 1977) (2.0 mm long × 1.5 mm wide) (USNM 231677), ex Agaricia sp. ( Agariciidae ), Carrie Bow Cay, Dangrega District, Belize, 16°48′12″N, 88°04′30″W, 15.2 m depth, 20 April 1981, coll. G. Hendler.

Description

Female ( Fig. 6A): 9 mm long; mature female stout, body strongly recurved, proximal end truncate, distal end rounded, surface smooth but with indentations showing indications of four or five segments dorsally, internal segmentation not visible; anteroventral shield small. Trunk thick and strongly extended, inserted into body at an angle of ~45°, extending out from body slightly anterior to midventral indentation, attachment lobes missing (presumed thin and fragile). Directly parasitizing cryptochirid host.

Etymology

The species name is from the Latin cervix , meaning nozzle, and refers to the large attachment process trunk that is partly fused with the body. It is used as a noun in apposition.

Remarks

The thick attachment trunk, partly fused with the body and not terminally positioned, is unique to this species. It is therefore difficult to know to which other species of Danalia this new species is most closely related. This is the only species of Danalia known from the western Atlantic; Danalia frassei Nierstrasz & Brender à Brandis, 1925, also from Curaçao, was shown to belong to Cabirops by Boyko (2013).

Known host

Opecarcinus hypostegus ( Shaw & Hopkins, 1977) View in CoL .

Distribution

Known from Curaçao (type locality) and Belize.