Synasterope solox Kornicker ex Kornicker & Poore 1996

“Synasterope solox Kornicker, new species

Figures 97, 98

ETYMOLOGY.—From the Latin solox (coarse, rough, bristly).

HOLOTYPE.—NMV J40022, adult female in alcohol with body separated from carapace.

TYPE LOCALITY.—Slope 21, 36°57.40'S, 150°18.80’E,New South Wales, off Eden; depth 220 m.

PARATYPES.—Slope 22: USNM 194039, adult female on slide and in alcohol.

DISTRIBUTION.—Slope 21,220 m. Slope 22, 363 m.

DESCRIPTION OF ADULT FEMALE.— Carapace elongate with parallel ventral and dorsal margins, evenly rounded anterior and posterior margins, and incisur ventral to midheight.

Ornamentation: Surface smooth with very few minute bristles. In transmitted light many small amber-colored cells visible (probably on inner side of shell); some cells arranged in rows forming circles and reticulations.

Infold: Rostral infold with about 42 long and short bristles. Anteroventral infold with about 33 bristles. Narrow list with anterior end just ventral to incisur continues along ventral infold and then broadens along posteroventral and posterior infold. Anterior half of ventral infold with row of about 7 bristles ventral to list; posterior half of ventral margin with 3 widely spaced bristles then row of 8 long closely spaced bristles to point where infold broadens. Posteroventral and posterior infold with a row of about 42 bristles just outside broad list (bristles in ventral half of row longer than those in dorsal half). Posterior infold with row of 3 processes, all ventral to valve midheight. Broad posteroventral and posterior list with about 20 broad transparent triangular bristles and about 18 slender bristles, mostly 1 bristle between adjacent triangular bristles (both triangular and slender bristles at midwidth of list).

Vestment: Rows of spines in anterodorsal comer proximal to infold.

Central Adductor Muscle Attachments: Comprising 15 ovoid attachments.

Carapace Size (length, height in mm): Slope 21: NMV J40022 (holotype), 1.45,0.71, height 46% of length. Slope 22: USNM 194039.1.45,0.66, height 46% of length. Length range 1.45-1.54, height range 66-71; height as percent of length 46.

First Antenna: 1st joint with medial and lateral spines. 2nd joint broadening distally, with medial and lateral spines, 1 spinous dorsal bristle, and 1 short bare lateral bristle. 3rd and 4th joints forming square; indistinct suture separating joints present medially at ventral end and laterally at dorsal end, absent elsewhere; 3rd joint with minute bare ventral bristle and 6 dorsal bristles (2 proximal bristles separated by short space and with long proximal and short distal spines; next 2 bristles almost adjacent to each other (both with long proximal and shorter distal spines, but spines of lateral bristle shorter and slenderer); next 2 bristles adjacent to each other and with spination similar to previous 2 bristles). 4th joint with 3 bristles (2 ventral, 1 dorsal) with short spines. Sensory bristle of 5th joint with stout proximal part and 6 terminal filaments; base of proximal filament adjacent to distal end of 6th joint. Medial bristle of 6th joint about 1 1/2 times length of a-bristle of 7th joint, with short marginal spines. 7th joint: a-bristle claw-like bare; b-bristle extending well past a-bristle, with 4 marginal filaments; c-bristle long with 5 marginal filaments (distal filament smaller). 8th joint: d-bristle represented by minute peg (lateral pore just proximal to base of bristle); e-bristle about same length as b-bristle, bare with blunt tip; f-bristle bent dorsally (both bristles broken on USNM 194039 and with 3 short spinous filaments on remaining part); g-bristle long with 6 marginal filaments (distal filament shorter).

Second Antenna: Protopodite with small, bare, distal, medial bristle, rows of long spines on dorsal half of medial surface, and few rows of minute medial spines proximally near ventral margin. Endopodite 3-jointed: sutures separating joints visible but indistinct; end joint with long terminal filament. Exopodite: 1st joint with row of long distal spines on dorsal margin, and without terminal medial bristle; bristle of 2nd joint reaching 9th joint, with abundant slender spines along ventral margin or along both ventral and dorsal margins; bristle of joint 3 with proximal ventral spines and distal natatory hairs; left limb of USNM 194039 with bristles of joints 4-7 (bristle of joint 8 missing) with few proximal ventral spines and distal natatory hairs, but bristles of joints 4-8 of right limb with only natatory hairs; 9th joint with 3 bristles (1 long and 1 medium with natatory hairs, 1 short (dorsal) with short spines); joints 2-8 with minute spines on part of distal edge, but without basal spines; 9th joint with 1 or 2 indistinct small lateral spines with serrate tips.

Mandible: Coxale with medial spines; endite broken off both limbs of USNM 194039. Basale endite with 4 spinous end bristles, 3 triaenid bristles with 3-6 pairs of marginal spines excluding terminal pair, and 2 slender equilength dwarf bristles adjacent to indistinct glandular peg. Basale: with small ringed bristle (bare or with few distal spines) near base of endite and proximal to elongate U-shaped boss near ventral margin; dorsal margin with short spinous recurved bristle at midlength and 2 long spinous subterminal bristles; medial surface bare. Stem of exopodite about half length of dorsal margin of 1st endopodial joint, hirsute distally, with 2 small terminal bristles. 1st endopodial joint with 3 long ventral bristles (2 with long spines, 1 with short spines). 2nd endopodial joint: ventral margin with 3 long spinous terminal bristles; dorsal margin with 1 short bare proximal bristle and stout spinous a-, b-, c-, and d-bristles (c-bristle slightly stouter than others; d-bristle more spinous than others); lateral side with long spinous f-bristle between c- and d-bristles but without e-bristle between b- and c -bristles; medial side with short rows of spines, 9 cleaning bristles (1 between a- and b-bristles, 2 near base of b-bristle, and 6 forming oblique row near base of c-bristle), and 1 long spinous g-bristle adjacent to d-bristle. 3rd endopodial joint with short straight claw with few ventral spines near midlength, 1 short spinous medial bristle, and 4 long spinous bristles.

Maxilla: Epipodite hirsute with pointed tip reaching to midlength of basale. Endite I with 4 bristles (3 long spinous, 1 short bare); endite II with spines and 3 long spinous bristles. Basale: lateral surface with 1 short proximal bristle; ventral margin with 1 short backward-pointing proximal bristle (broken off on illustrated left limb), 1 small distal bristle, and 1 long spinous terminal bristle; dorsal margin with 1 proximal bristle (this bristle on medial side at midheight on illustrated left limb but on dorsal margin of illustrated right limb) and 1 longer distal bristle with base on medial side. 1st endopodial joint with small bare alpha-bristle and long bare beta-bristle. 2nd endopodial joint with long bare terminal bristle about same length as beta-bristle.

Fifth Limb: Lateral side of comb with long spinous exopodial bristle, 1 short slender bristle just ventral to base of exopodial bristle, 5 bristles near ventral margin ventral to proximal part of exopodial bristle, 1 proximal bristle with base almost on ventral margin, and 2 distal bristles with bases close to ventral margin; only 3 bristles (long anterior bristle and 2 short posterior bristles) shown of the many spinous bristles along ventral margin.

Sixth Limb: Anterior margin with welldefined upper and lower endites, each with 1 bristle (bristle of distal endite longer). Skirt with 1 slender hirsute bristle on edge of lateral flap, 4 small spinous bristles (3 of 4 broken on illustrated limb) at anterior tip, and short bristles along ventral edge (both limbs of USNM 194039 fragmented so that number of ventral and posteroventral bristles not ascertained). Medial surface of anterodorsal corner of limb that usually has small medial bristle also missing from limbs.

Seventh Limb: Both proximal and distal groups with 6 bristles, 3 on each side, each with 2 or 4 bells. Terminus with opposing combs, each with 9 or 10 spinous teeth.

Furca: Each lamella with 9 claws; posterior 2 claws bristle-like, recurved on right lamella of USNM 194039 but not on left; small spinous triangular process following each lamella; right lamella anterior to left by width of base of claw 1.

Bellonci Organ: Elongate with broadly rounded tip.

Eyes: Lateral eyes absent Medial eye unpigmented, bare.

Lips: Each lobe of upper lip hirsute and with 2 minute anterior spines. Lower lip a hirsute lateral flap on each side of mouth.

Genitalia: Oval on each side of body anterior to furca.

Posterior of Body: Short section dorsal to furca with minute spines; posterodorsal corner broadly rounded and with cluster of long spines.

Y-Sclerite: Typical for subfamily.

Gills: 7 well-developed gills on each side extending well past posterior end of body.

Eggs: USNM 194039 with 8 small unextruded eggs on each side of body.

COMPARISONS.—The female S. solox differs from the female S. bassana Poulsen, 1965, which also lives in the vicinity of Australia, in being smaller, lacking lateral eyes, in having a shorter and stouter stem (proximal to filaments) on the sensory bristle of the 5th joint of the 1st antenna, and in not having 3 small bristles near endite II of the maxilla.

In the following, S. solox is compared with other species of Synasterope without lateral eyes. The 7th limb of S. solox differs from that of S. mystax Kornicker, 1975, in having 12 rather than 19-21 bristles. The female S. solox differs from the female S. brachythrix Kornicker, 1975, in having a 1st antenna with a shorter and stouter stem (proximal to filaments) on the sensory bristle of the 5th joint and an e-bristle on the 8th joint much longer than the a-bristle of the 7th joint, and in having a distal medial bristle on the protopodite of the 2nd antenna. The female S. solox differs from the female S. dimorpha Kornicker, 1975, in having a shorter and stouter stem (proximal to filaments) on the sensory bristle of the 5th joint of the 1st antennae, and in having 3 rather than 8 processes on the posterior infold of the shell. Synasterope solox differs from S. arnaudi Kornicker, 1975, S. phalanx Kornicker, 1989, and S. helix Kornicker, 1989, in being smaller and in having a row of over 40 bristles on the posteroventral and posterior infold rather than less than 10. Synasterope solox differs from S. hirpex Kornicker, 1989, in having 1 instead of 4 bristles on the upper endite of the 6th limb, and 1 instead of none on the lower endite, and also in having many more bristles on the posteroventral and posterior infold of each valve. Synasterope solox differs from S. index Kornicker, 1989, in being larger and in having fewer bristles on the 7th limb. Synasterope solox differs from S. psitticina (Darby, 1965) in being smaller and in having a longer proximal ventral bristle on the mandibular basale. Synasterope solox differs from S. williamsae Komicker, 1986b, in being larger and in having many more bristles on the posteroventral and posterior infold. Both S. solox and S. cushmani Komicker, 1974a, have many bristles on the posteroventral and posterior infolds; the stem (proximal to filaments) of the sensory bristle of the 5th joint of the female 1st antenna of S. solox is shorter than that of S. cushmani, and the posterior of the body of S. solox has fewer spines.”

(Kornicker & Poore, 1996, p.166-169)

Synasterope solox Kornicker

ETYMOLOGY.—From the Latin solox (coarse, rough, bristly).

HOLOTYPE.—NMV J40022, adult female in alcohol with body separated from carapace.

TYPE LOCALITY.—Slope 21, 36°57.40′S, 150°18.80′E, New South Wales, off Eden; depth 220 m.

PARATYPES.—Slope 22: USNM 194039, adult female on slide and in alcohol.

DISTRIBUTION.—Slope 21, 220 m. Slope 22, 363 m.

DESCRIPTION OF ADULT FEMALE (Figures 97, 98).—Carapace elongate with parallel ventral and dorsal margins, evenly rounded anterior and posterior margins, and incisur ventral to midheight (Figure 97a).

Ornamentation: Surface smooth with very few minute bristles. In transmitted light many small amber-colored cells visible (probably on inner side of shell); some cells arranged in rows forming circles and reticulations.

Infold: Rostral infold with about 42 long and short bristles (Figure 97b). Anteroventral infold with about 33 bristles (Figure 97b). Narrow list with anterior end just ventral to incisur continues along ventral infold and then broadens along posteroventral and posterior infold (Figure 97b,c). Anterior half of ventral infold with row of about 7 bristles ventral to list; posterior half of ventral margin with 3 widely spaced bristles then row of 8 long closely spaced bristles to point where infold broadens. Posteroventral and posterior infold with a row of about 42 bristles just outside broad list (bristles in ventral half of row longer than those in dorsal half) (Figure 97c). Posterior infold with row of 3 processes, all ventral to valve midheight (Figure 97c). Broad posteroventral and posterior list with about 20 broad transparent triangular bristles and about 18 slender bristles (not shown), mostly 1 bristle between adjacent triangular bristles (both triangular and slender bristles at midwidth of list).

Vestment (Figure 97b): Rows of spines in anterodorsal corner proximal to infold.

Central Adductor Muscle Attachments (Figure 97d): Comprising 15 ovoid attachments.

Carapace Size (length, height in mm): Slope 21: NMV J40022 (holotype), 1.45, 0.71, height 46% of length. Slope 22: USNM 194039, 1.45, 0.66, height 46% of length. Length range 1.45–1.54, height range 66–71; height as percent of length 46.

First Antenna (Figure 97e,f): 1st joint with medial and lateral spines. 2nd joint broadening distally, with medial and lateral spines, 1 spinous dorsal bristle, and 1 short bare lateral bristle (Figure 97e). 3rd and 4th joints forming square; indistinct suture separating joints present medially at ventral end and laterally at dorsal end, absent elsewhere; 3rd joint with minute bare ventral bristle and 6 dorsal bristles (2 proximal bristles separated by short space and with long proximal and short distal spines; next 2 bristles almost adjacent to each other (both with long proximal and shorter distal spines, but spines of lateral bristle shorter and slenderer); next 2 bristles adjacent to each other and with spination similar to previous 2 bristles). 4th joint with 3 bristles (2 ventral, 1 dorsal) with short spines. Sensory bristle of 5th joint with stout proximal part and 6 terminal filaments; base of proximal filament adjacent to distal end of 6th joint (Figure 97f). Medial bristle of 6th joint about 1 times length of a-bristle of 7th joint, with short marginal spines (not shown). 7th joint (Figure 97f): a-bristle claw-like bare; b-bristle extending well past a-bristle, with 4 marginal filaments; c-bristle long with 5 marginal filaments (distal filament smaller). 8th joint (Figure 97f): d-bristle represented by minute peg (lateral pore just proximal to base of bristle (not shown)); e-bristle about same length as b-bristle, bare with blunt tip; f-bristle bent dorsally (both bristles broken on USNM 194039 and with 3 short spinous filaments on remaining part); g-bristle (not shown) long with 6 marginal filaments (distal filament shorter).

Second Antenna (Figure 97g): Protopodite with small, bare, distal, medial bristle, rows of long spines on dorsal half of medial surface, and few rows of minute medial spines proximally near ventral margin (not shown). Endopodite 3-jointed: sutures separating joints visible but indistinct; end joint with long terminal filament. Exopodite: 1st joint with row of long distal spines on dorsal margin, and without terminal medial bristle; bristle of 2nd joint reaching 9th joint, with abundant slender spines along ventral margin or along both ventral and dorsal margins; bristle of joint 3 with proximal ventral spines and distal natatory hairs; left limb of USNM 194039 with bristles of joints 4–7 (bristle of joint 8 missing) with few proximal ventral spines and distal natatory hairs, but bristles of joints 4–8 of right limb with only natatory hairs; 9th joint with 3 bristles (1 long and 1 medium with natatory hairs, 1 short (dorsal) with short spines); joints 2–8 with minute spines on part of distal edge, but without basal spines; 9th joint with 1 or 2 indistinct small lateral spines with serrate tips.

Mandible (Figure 98a): Coxale with medial spines; endite broken off both limbs of USNM 194039. Basale endite with 4 spinous end bristles (not shown), 3 triaenid bristles with 3–6 pairs of marginal spines excluding terminal pair (bristles not shown), and 2 slender equilength dwarf bristles adjacent to indistinct glandular peg. Basale: with small ringed bristle (bare or with few distal spines) near base of endite and proximal to elongate U-shaped boss near ventral margin; dorsal margin with short spinous recurved bristle at midlength and 2 long spinous subterminal bristles; medial surface bare. Stem of exopodite about half length of dorsal margin of 1st endopodial joint, hirsute distally, with 2 small terminal bristles. 1st endopodial joint with 3 long ventral bristles (2 with long spines, 1 with short spines) (bristles not shown). 2nd endopodial joint: ventral margin with 3 long spinous terminal bristles (not shown); dorsal margin with 1 short bare proximal bristle and stout spinous a-, b-, c-, and d-bristles (c-bristle slightly stouter than others; d-bristle more spinous than others); lateral side with long spinous f-bristle between c- and d-bristles (not shown) but without e-bristle between b- and c-bristles; medial side with short rows of spines, 9 cleaning bristles (1 between a- and b-bristles, 2 near base of b-bristle (only sockets shown), and 6 forming oblique row near base of c-bristle (only sockets shown)), and 1 long spinous g-bristle adjacent to d-bristle. 3rd endopodial joint with short straight claw with few ventral spines near midlength, 1 short spinous medial bristle, and 4 long spinous bristles (not shown).

Maxilla: Epipodite hirsute with pointed tip reaching to midlength of basale (Figure 98d). Endite I with 4 bristles (3 long spinous, 1 short bare); endite II with spines and 3 long spinous bristles (Figure 98b). Basale (Figure 98c,d): lateral surface with 1 short proximal bristle; ventral margin with 1 short backward-pointing proximal bristle (broken off on illustrated left limb), 1 small distal bristle, and 1 long spinous terminal bristle; dorsal margin with 1 proximal bristle (this bristle on medial side at midheight on illustrated left limb (Figure 98d) but on dorsal margin of illustrated right limb (Figure 98c)) and 1 longer distal bristle with base on medial side. 1st endopodial joint with small bare alpha-bristle and long bare beta-bristle. 2nd endopodial joint with long bare terminal bristle about same length as beta-bristle.

Fifth Limb (Figure 97h): Lateral side of comb with long spinous exopodial bristle, 1 short slender bristle just ventral to base of exopodial bristle, 5 bristles near ventral margin ventral to proximal part of exopodial bristle, 1 proximal bristle with base almost on ventral margin, and 2 distal bristles with bases close to ventral margin; only 3 bristles (long anterior bristle and 2 short posterior bristles) shown of the many spinous bristles along ventral margin.

Sixth Limb (Figure 98e): Anterior margin with well-defined upper and lower endites, each with 1 bristle (bristle of distal endite longer). Skirt with 1 slender hirsute bristle on edge of lateral flap, 4 small spinous bristles (3 of 4 broken on illustrated limb) at anterior tip, and short bristles along ventral edge (both limbs of USNM 194039 fragmented so that number of ventral and posteroventral bristles not ascertained). Medial surface of anterodorsal corner of limb that usually has small medial bristle also missing from limbs.

Seventh Limb (Figure 98f): Both proximal and distal groups with 6 bristles, 3 on each side, each with 2 or 4 bells. Terminus with opposing combs, each with 9 or 10 spinous teeth.

Furca (Figure 98g): Each lamella with 9 claws; posterior 2 claws bristle-like, recurved on right lamella of USNM 194039 but not on left; small spinous triangular process following each lamella; right lamella anterior to left by width of base of claw 1.

Bellonci Organ (Figure 97e,i): Elongate with broadly rounded tip.

Eyes: Lateral eyes absent. Medial eye unpigmented, bare (Figure 97e).

Lips (Figures 97e, 98h): Each lobe of upper lip hirsute and with 2 minute anterior spines. Lower lip a hirsute lateral flap on each side of mouth.

Genitalia (Figure 97j): Oval on each side of body anterior to furca.

Posterior of Body (Figures 97j, 98g): Short section dorsal to furca with minute spines; posterodorsal corner broadly rounded and with cluster of long spines.

Y-Sclerite (Figures 97j, 98g): Typical for subfamily.

Gills: 7 well-developed gills on each side extending well past posterior end of body (not shown).

Eggs: USNM 194039 with 8 small unextruded eggs on each side of body.

COMPARISONS.—The female S. solox differs from the female S. bassana Poulsen, 1965, which also lives in the vicinity of Australia, in being smaller, lacking lateral eyes, in having a shorter and stouter stem (proximal to filaments) on the sensory bristle of the 5th joint of the 1st antenna, and in not having 3 small bristles near endite II of the maxilla.

In the following, S. solox is compared with other species of Synasterope without lateral eyes. The 7th limb of S. solox differs from that of S. mystax Kornicker, 1975, in having 12 rather than 19–21 bristles. The female S. solox differs from the female S. brachythrix Kornicker, 1975, in having a 1st antenna with a shorter and stouter stem (proximal to filaments) on the sensory bristle of the 5th joint and an e-bristle on the 8th joint much longer than the a-bristle of the 7th joint, and in having a distal medial bristle on the protopodite of the 2nd antenna. The female S. solox differs from the female S. dimorpha Kornicker, 1975, in having a shorter and stouter stem (proximal to filaments) on the sensory bristle of the 5th joint of the 1st antennae, and in having 3 rather than 8 processes on the posterior infold of the shell. Synasterope solox differs from S. arnaudi Kornicker, 1975, S. phalanx Kornicker, 1989, and S. helix Kornicker, 1989, in being smaller and in having a row of over 40 bristles on the posteroventral and posterior infold rather than less than 10. Synasterope solox differs from S. hirpex Kornicker, 1989, in having 1 instead of 4 bristles on the upper endite of the 6th limb, and 1 instead of none on the lower endite, and also in having many more bristles on the posteroventral and posterior infold of each valve. Synasterope solox differs from S. index Kornicker, 1989, in being larger and in having fewer bristles on the 7th limb. Synasterope solox differs from S. psitticina (Darby, 1965) in being smaller and in having a longer proximal ventral bristle on the mandibular basale. Synasterope solox differs from S. williamsae Kornicker, 1986b, in being larger and in having many more bristles on the posteroventral and posterior infold. Both S. solox and S. cushmani Kornicker, 1974a, have many bristles on the posteroventral and posterior infolds; the stem (proximal to filaments) of the sensory bristle of the 5th joint of the female 1st antenna of S. solox is shorter than that of S. cushmani, and the posterior of the body of S. solox has fewer spines.

Domromeus Kornicker, 1989

TYPE SPECIES.—Domromeus heptathrix Kornicker, 1989:124.

COMPOSITION.—Domromeus includes the type species and D. merx, new species, herein.

DISTRIBUTION.—Domromeus heptathrix from in and west of the Bay of Biscay at depths of 1980–2360 m (Kornicker, 1989:124). Domromeus merx from off Eden, New South Wales, at a depth of 363 m.