Achelia superba (Loman 1911)

Achelia superba (Loman)

Ammothea superba Loman, 1911:11–12, figs. 14–24.

Achelia superba.—Utinomi, 1971:328 [literature].

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Suruga Bay: Tansei Maru cruise KT69-12, sta 5 (47, 47, 3 juv).

Sagami Bay: Tansei Maru cruise KT71-2, sta 29 (2, 3). Off Shimoda, 8 Aug 1973 (4, 5).

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Sagami Bay: Nabeta Bay, 28 Aug 1972 (1).

Achelia superba (Loman)

Ammothea superba Loman, 1911:11–12, figs. 14–24.

Achelia superba.—Utinomi, 1971:328 [literature].—Nakamura and Child, 1983:12; 1991:6.—Nakamura, 1987:21–23, pls. 18, 36.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Aleutians, S of Amchitka Island, 51°17.8′N, 179°24.8′E, 229 m, R/V Miller Freeman, cruise 833, sta 24, 31 Jul 1983 (1 juv); Aleutians, Amchitka Island, Amchitka Pass, 51°39.6′N, 179°00.8′W, 428 m, R/V Miller Freeman, cruise 833, sta 37, 3 Aug 1983 (1 chelate subadult, 1 juv); Pribilof Islands, off St. Paul Island, 57°04′N, 170°18′W, 40 m, R/V Miller Freeman, cruise 888, sta Grab 7, 19 Sep 1988 (1, 1 juv).

DISTRIBUTION.—A northern Pacific Far East species with records from central Japan north to the Sakhalin Island of Russia, in a depth range of 7 to 300 m. These records place the species in the Aleutian Islands and the Pribilof Islands for the first time and in slightly deeper water of 428 m.

DIAGNOSIS.—Slightly similar to A. borealis, this species differs in a number of characters. Having longer more attenuated habitus with appendage lengths more like an Ammothella than an Achelia. Very long chelifore scapes, a long ocular tubercle, a long and erect abdomen, very long palps, ovigers, and legs with extremely attenuated and slender propodus, claw, and auxiliaries. Lateral processes and first coxae having small laterodistal tubercles and posterior 4 legs with a sex pore spur.

Achelia superba (Loman)

Ammothea superba Loman, 1911a:11–12, figs. 14–24.

Achelia superba.—Utinomi, 1971a:328 [literature].—Nakamura and Child, 1983:12.—Nakamura, 1987:21–23, pls. 18, 36.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—HONSHU: Off Misaki, Miura Peninsula, Sagami Bay, 80–84 m, 10 Jul 1985 (1 juv). Nabeta Bay, 7–15 m, 19 Dec 1976 (1). Kii Strait, 33°06.8′N, 135°12.5′E, 119–120 m, KT84–12, sta 24, 2 Sep 1984 (1).

DISTRIBUTION.—This Misaki species is from the same locality and depth as one of Loman's type specimens. The species has been taken in the Sea of Okhotsk off Sakhalin to as far south as Kii Strait, the greatest depth recorded being 300 meters and the shallowest recorded at 7 meters. This somewhat restricted distribution will probably be expanded, at least northwards, by future Russian records from Far Eastern collections.

shelf to upper slope