Family Eurydicidae

Cirolana quadripustulata n.sp. (Figs. 25–38).

Diagnosis: Very large, 40–60 mm. Frontal lamina long, thin; maxilla 1 has 4 spines on inner plate; antenna 1 almost reaches 1st thoracic segment; antenna 2 reaches 5th. Eyes long, subrectangular. Peraeopod 7, 2nd segment broad, setose; abdominal segment 3 strongly produced laterally to cover 4th and 5th and reaching base of uropod. Male, thoracic segments 3 and 4 have each 2 small tubercles dorsally, those on 3rd segment prominent, those on 4th less distinct. Penial processes are indistinct tubercles; appendix masculina long, slender, barely curved at tip.

Body: Head width more than twice length, anterior margin somewhat concave. Eyes of 10–11 rows of ocelli from 2nd antenna peduncle back to posterior margin of head, cover most of side of head which is separated from dorsal surface by slight ridge. Body segments of more or less equal width, 1st and 4th longest; coxal plates distinct, ventrally setose, last 4 with slightly produced acute posterodistal angles, 7th reaches back to partly cover lateral surface of 2nd abdominal segment. 3rd and 4th abdominal segments laterally produced back to base of uropod. Telson distally rounded, setose, has 7 spines along distal margin.

Antennae. First: Short, as long as eye and lying along it; flagellum of 38–40 short wide segments, each has row of long flaccid sensory setae, forming tract along entire flagellum. Peduncle 1st segment not quite twice length 2nd; 2nd about ¾ 3rd; each has 1–2 plumose setae on margins, an especially long one on inner distal angle of 3rd; 3rd has bristled flange lengthwise down surface. Second: Flagellum longer than peduncle, of more than 50 segments. Peduncle, 2nd segment about ½ length 3rd, 3rd and 4th subequal, ½ length 5th.

Mouthparts. Maxilliped has 2 coupling spines.

Peraeopods. First: 4th and 5th segments posteriorly subequal but overlapping each other; 4th has about 4 spines distally on posterior margin, 3 on protuberance ½ along; posterodistally produced in setose-margined thumb about 1/3 along 6th segment, stout end spine on thumb. 5th has spine, seta, along posterior margin. Segment 6 has posterior margin as long as 5th, anterior twice as long, has 5 spines and setae. Dactylos long, tapering. Second: Generally similar, 3rd segment has 3 strong spines on posterodistal angle; 4th has 3 strong spines on anterodistal thumb which reaches ½ along segment 6; 5th has spine medially, 2 distally on posterior margin, is more distinct from segment 4 than in Gn. 1. Segment 6 slightly longer than 5, has 4–5 short spines on posterior margin. Dactylos has group of small spines near small end boss. Seventh: 2nd segment broad, especially distally where width ½ length; strongly setose on rounded anterodistal angle, all along posterior margin, also right along median surface flange. 3rd segment 2/3 2nd, triangular, anteriorly spinose and setae, posteriorly setose, distally spinose. 4th and 5th subequal, slightly shorter than 3rd; 4th-6th segments have 3–4 groups of spines and setae on anterior margin, spines and setae on posterodistal angle, rest of posterior margin naked; 6th slightly shorter than 5th.

Pleopods. Male stylet on 2nd reaches about 2/3 down endopod.

Uropods. Long acute peduncle process reaches ½ down endopod, has setose outer margin. Exopod slender, width about ¼ length, about 11 spines down outer margin, 3 on inner, 1 on distally narrowed tip, margins setose; exopod reaches about 2/3 down wide subrectangular endopod which has 6 spines on outer margin, outer distal angle distinct, inner rounded, distal margin has 8 spines, all margins setose. Distal width about 1/3 length.

Material Examined: Station COS (VUZ. 22), 2 males, 52–58 mm; Station BOP (VUZ. 41), 9 females, 42–48 mm; "Thomas Carrol", 4/4/53, Palliser Bay, 40 fathoms, 1 male, 60 mm.

Types: Slides Oc. 7 (VUZ. 22, male).

Distribution: Cook Strait, N.Z.

Discussion: Despite the large size of this species and the great number of species of Cirolana already known, I cannot identify these specimens with any previously described species. The prominent tubercles on the back of the male, and the strong backward prolongation of the 3rd abdominal segment are especially characteristic.

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The males from Station COS are noteworthy for the presence of developing gasteropod eggs on the ventral surface of the body between the legs. This is to my knowledge the first record of this unusual association. There is no evidence to indicate whether this develops into a commensal or parasitic relationship when the gasteropod is fully grown or not.

Cirolana pellucida Tattersall, 1921.

Cirolana Pellucida Tattersall, 1921: 206–207, pl. II, figs. 4–10.

Material Examined: Station KIIB (VUZ. 3), 'Regina, Stephens Island, 541217A', 4 females, 6–17 mm; Station GIIB (VUZ. 6), 1 female, 17 mm; Station CUF (VUZ. 19), 1 male, 8 mm, 1 female, 7 mm.

Distribution: Cook Strait; Terra Nova Stations 86, 129, 130 "off Three Kings Islands, plankton, from the surface and 3 metres"; Terra Nova Station 133, Spirits Bay, near N. Cape, N.Z., plankton, at 20 metres.

Discussion: Tattersall has remarked on the thin pellicle of this species, evident here in specimens from Station KIIB and CUF. Those from Station KIIB have a harder exoskeleton. The eyes show some variation; the KIIB specimens have a large subrectangular eye along most of the head; the GIIB specimen has one eye like this, the other superficially smaller and rounder like the CUF specimens. This is almost certainly due to leaching out of pigment. The CUF male has a somewhat blunter penis than that figured by Tattersall for his specimens; the GIIB specimen has small brownish-red pigment spots still visible over the body.