Callipallene brevirostris (Johnston)

Callipallene brevirostris (Johnston) View in CoL

Pallene breoirostris Johnston, 1837: 380 , pl. 12, figs 7-8. Callipallene breoirostris : Flynn, 1929: 252. Change of combination.

Material. Adult ♂ (ZSM-A- 20071607); Bahia Concha, Parque Nacional Tayrona , Santa Marta ; from Sargassum cymosum , close to coelenterate colonies, on a stone with various algae on top, 20 m, 26.10.2004 .

Description ( Fig. 18 View Fig )

Living animal of light red colour. Body robust, slender ( Fig. 18A View Fig ). Segmentation of body well visible ( Fig. 18A,B View Fig ). Laterodistal parts of trunk deprived of spines ( Fig. 18B View Fig ). Legs separated from each other ½ of their diameter, very long and slender ( Fig. 18B View Fig ). Eye tubercle small, flat, equipped with 2 lateral sense organs ( Fig. 18B View Fig ). Abdomen short, on both sides armed with a spine ( Fig. 18B View Fig ).

Chelifore with 2 articles, together with the cylindrical proboscis separated from trunk by a short neck. Posterior setae on 1 st article. Chelae dorsally curved, fingers distally with several setae ( Fig. 18C View Fig ), a row of several roundish, blunt teeth on inner side. Chelae located directly in front of mouth. The latter made of 3 lips with numerous hairs ( Fig. 18D View Fig ). Palps absent in this genus.

Ovigera with 10 articles, and medium number of bristles ( Fig. 18E,F View Fig ). 5 th article with distal protrusion and a thin spine on top. This article is the longest, followed by the 4 th. Other ovigera articles of same length. Distalmost 4 articles each with 5-7 serrated spines on ventral sides ( Fig. 18E,F View Fig ). On the figure only 2 of them are visible.

Coxa 1 of all legs with some thin setae distally ( Fig. 18B,G View Fig ). Coxa 2, 2.5× as long as coxa 1; also with some setae distally. Coxa 3, 0.6× as long as coxa 1, also with distal setae ( Fig. 18G View Fig ). Femur slightly wider than following leg articles, but of approx. same length. Tibia 2 slightly longer. All leg articles with several small setae dorsally and dorsodistally ( Fig. 18G View Fig ). Tarsus as long as wide, with ventral spine and several small setae ( Fig. 18H View Fig ). Propodus curved, 4 long alternating spines on the proximal part ( Fig. 18H View Fig ). Sole with median row of strong small spines and 2 lateral setae of medium length. Further setae on the dorsal and lateral parts of the propodus ( Fig. 18H View Fig ). Main claw 0.3× as long as propodus. Accessory claws 0.75× as long as main claws. Auxiliaries with tiny denticles at base (circle in Fig. 18H View Fig ).

Remarks. Callipallene breoirostris is a rather large pycnogonid. Our specimen was the only pycnogonid we found directly on algae, where it sat well hidden due to its colour. The flat eye tubercle and the segmentation of the last segment are distinctive features with respect to Callipallene longicoxa , a very similar species. Müller (1990), Müller & Krapp (in press) report this species close to the shore, while our specimen is from a SCUBA sample from a depth of 20 m. C. breoirostris is common in the Mediterranean and Northern Atlantic (Stock 1987), previously reported from Colombian coasts in Müller (1990 & in press).