Sivertsen and Holthuis (1956); Boschi (1973); Kensley (1980).
(武田正倫)
Material examined:
FSFL EM287 (2♂♂,3♀♀-39°30′S, 54°57′W, 1,222 m deep; June 7, 1978); EM209, EM210 (2♂♂, 5 ovig. ♀♀, 4♀♀-40°31′S, 56°24′ W, 800 m deep; June 30, 1978). Total length from tip of rostrum to posterior margin of telson, 12 and 13.5 cm in a male and a female (EM287), respectively.
Description:
A bathypelagic, strongly compressed species. Carapace smooth and polished, not hard; a small antennal and a large branchiostegal spines present, a short, strong longitudinal ridge running from branchiostegal spine; in dorsal view branchiostegal spine directed obliquely outward; a very shallow, short longitudinal furrow present behind orbit and a linear oblique furrow below it. Rostrum as long as carapace, weakly curving upward, and armed with 9 or 10 upper and 5 or 6 lower suberect spines; posterior half of lateral surface of rostrum narrowly ridged and extended back onto anterior fifth of carapace; median ridge of rostrum almost reaching to posterior margin of carapace. Second to sixth abdominal segments strongly ridged dorsally, and each posterior end of third to sixth segments produced to be a spiniform tooth. Telson narrow, being armed dorsolateterally with 7-11 spines. First 2 pairs of pereiopods chelate; second pair longer than the first, and merus armed with a long spine at its distal end; in third and fourth pairs ischia and meri armed with many spines, but those of fifth pair only with sparse small spines.
Distribution:
East Atlantic from the vicinity of Iceland through the Mediterranean to South Africa, the Southwest Atlantic, and the Indo-Pacific between 32° and 57°; 150-3,600 m deep.
Remarks:
The general shape of the carapace is very similar to that of A. eximia Smith but distinguished from it most remarkably by having 7-11 dorsolateral spines on the telson instead of 3-5.
(Masatsune TAKEDA)
Distribution of Acanthephyra pelagica in Patagonia.