Nepinnotheres tellinae (R. B. Manning & Holthuis 1981)

Pinnotheres tellinae

Pinnoteres sp. A.—Monod, 1956:376 [part; not figs. 502–507].—Longhurst, 1958:88.

Pinnotheres sp. A.—Silas and Alagarswami, 1967:1213 [part].—Schmitt, McCain, and Davidson, 1973:91 [synonymy; part].

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Pillsbury Material: None.

Other Material: Sierra Leone: Kissy, near Freetown, from mantle cavity of Tellina nymphalis Lamarck, 29 Nov 1954, A. G. Humes, 7, 10 (holotype; 2 ov) (L, W). Bullom Shore, opposite Freetown, from mantle cavity of Tellina nymphalis Lamarck, 12 Nov 1954, A. G. Humes, 11, 15 (13 ov) (L, W).

DESCRIPTION.—Adult female (Figure 44a): Carapace strongly convex, globular, almost circular in outline, appearing as long as or slightly longer than broad, actually slightly (1.02 to 1.06 times) broader than long. Integument thin. Surface of carapace naked, smooth, with indistinct depression on or near anterolateral margin. Hairs implanted on lateral and posterior margins of carapace, not on lateral surface. Front hardly protruding beyond orbit, sinuous in dorsal view, slightly concave medially. In frontal view front (Figure 45a) slightly convex, terminating laterally in ventrally directed tooth forming inner angle of orbit. Orbits oval, almost closed, small inner gap filled by antennae. Eyes small, cornea reduced.

Third maxilliped (Figure 45b) placed only slightly obliquely, situated almost longitudinally. Merus broad, 3/5 as wide as long, greatest width in anterior half, anterointernal angle rounded. Carpus short. Propodus elongate, somewhat more than twice as long as wide. Dactylus, inserted at or slightly behind middle of lower margin of propodus, about 3 times as long as wide, reaching slightly beyond tip of propodus. Carpus and propodus together distinctly more than half as long as merus. Exopod well developed.

Chelipeds (Figure 45c) strong. Fingers about 4/5 as long as palm, gaping. Dactylus with large tooth on basal part of cutting edge, large basal tooth of fixed finger placed before that of dactylus. Remainder of cutting edges of chela with widely spaced tubercles; subdistally, cutting edges with short ridge, upper margin minutely tuberculate. Upper margin of chela with fringe of long hairs, latter also present on lower part of inner surface of palm and on fingers; shorter hairs present on remainder of chela. No tubercles present on either surface of palm. Carpus short, conical, slightly shorter than merus. Carpus and merus both with long hairs on dorsal and lower inner surface.

Pereiopods of right side of equal size and shape as those on left side. First 3 walking legs (pereiopods 2–4) (Figures 45d–f) are of about same length and shape, third pereiopod may be slightly longer than second or fourth. Dactylus of each of these 3 legs rather high, about 2/3 as long as propodus. Latter slightly more than twice as long as high. Carpus slightly shorter than propodus. Merus longest segment of leg, less than twice as long as carpus. Fifth pereiopod (Figure 45g) shortest. Dactylus of fifth slenderer, less strongly curved than in other legs, but of same length. Dactylus, propodus, and carpus subequal in length, each distinctly shorter than merus. Long, curly hairs present distally on all walking legs.

Abdomen with 7 free somites, wide but narrower than carapace. Eggs numerous and small, measuring 0.2 to 0.3 mm.

Male (Figure 44b): Carapace relatively wider than in female, 1¼ times as wide as long; difference in carapace shape of males and females well marked. Integument firmer than in female.

Chelipeds (Figure 45h) differ from those of female in having tubercles on middle of inner surface of palm and on lower outer surface.

Pereiopods (Figure 45i–k) slenderer than in female, those of third, fourth, and fifth pairs with fringes of long hairs on propodus, carpus, and merus. Fringes less distinct on second pereiopod.

Abdomen (Figure 45l) with 7 free somites. Terminal somite wider than long with rounded margin. Sixth somite about 1½ times wider at base than distally. Fifth somite slightly longer than sixth, width same throughout length, 5/8 as long as wide. Fourth somite shorter but wider than fifth. Third somite wider and shorter than fourth. First and second somites shortest, slightly wider than third.

Male gonopods (Figure 45m) long, slender, extending beyond sternite of cheliped, curved medially, terminating in simple apex. Inner concave margin with about 20 short, stiff hairs; convex outer margin with fewer hairs.

MEASUREMENTS.—The carapace length of the females in our material varied from 2 to 6 mm (in ovigerous females from 4.5 to 6 mm), and the carapace width from 2.2 to 6.5 mm (in ovigerous females from 5 to 6.5 mm); in the males the carapace length ranged from 2 to 3.5 mm and the carapace width from 2.5 to 4 mm. Monod (1956:376) gave both the carapace length and width of his single ovigerous female as 5.5 mm. The diameter of the eggs is 0.2 to 0.3 mm.

DISTRIBUTION.—So far the species is only known from Sierra Leone (Monod, 1956; Longhurst, 1958).