Eurycyde muricata Child 1995

Eurycyde muricata

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Aleutians, W of Amchitka Island, 51°29.9′N, 178°39.6′E, 154 m, R/V Lets Go, cruise 861, sta 57, 18 Aug 1986 (1 juv, paratype, USNM 234650); Aleutians, off Kiska Island, 51°46.5′N, 177°22.7′E, 137 m, R/V Lets Go, cruise 861, sta 62, 20 Aug 1986 (1, holotype, USNM 234649).

DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from its type locality, south of the Rat Islands Group, in 137 to 154 m.

DESCRIPTION.—Leg span about 11 mm. Trunk long oval in dorsal view, segments swollen at their posteriors and bear dorsal and ventral fields of tiny setae at bulges. Lateral processes quite short, not longer than their diameters, armed with 3 stout spines not longer than segment diameters, spines arranged with pair dorsodistally and single largest spine in lateral process median. Second pair of lateral processes also with pair of small spines laterodistal to major spines. Fourth pair of lateral processes with single median spine only. Larger spines bear setules. Paired large spines like those of lateral processes over insertion of chelifores. Ocular tubercle slender, tall, about 4 times taller than maximum diameter, eyes large, situated at rounded and glabrous tip. Proboscis typical, distal segment slender. Abdomen moderately long, erect, armed with 4 long spines in lateral array at midpoint bend, with 4 small laterodistal setae.

Chelifores moderately long, first scape segment longer than proboscis petiole, armed with lateral line of 4 long spines and 1 dorsodistally, second segment with dorsal and lateral lines of 4 long spines of varying length. Chelae stubs with single seta each. Palps typical, third segment longer than fifth, seventh segment slightly longer than subequal eighth and ninth, tenth a short stub. Distal five segments armed with many ventral setae longer than segment diameters. Ovigers (female) typical, strigilis segments armed with many-lobed denticulate spines in 2 rows with major spines in formula, 5:4:3:4, with larger denticulate spine in opposition to short terminal claw.

Legs moderately slender, long, major segments with many long spines some but not all “feathered” with setules. Second tibia longest segment with femur slightly shorter than first tibia, coxae with ventral fields of tiny setules. Propodus of typical shape and spination, many sole spines. Claw broad, short, about 0.3 of propodus length.

Male characters unknown.

MEASUREMENTS (in mm).—Trunk length (chelifore insertion to tips of 4th lateral processes), 1.78; trunk width (across 2nd lateral processes), 1.21; proboscis distal segment length, 1.1; abdomen length, 0.77; third leg lengths; coxa 1, 0.26; coxa 2, 0.37; coxa 3, 0.26; femur, 0.97; tibia 1, 0.98; tibia 2, 1.01; tarsus, 0.15; propodus, 0.67; claw, 0.23.

ETYMOLOGY.—The name (Latin: muricatus, meaning pointed or spiny like a murex shell) refers to the many robust dorsal spines of its lateral processes and first coxae.

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