Ammothella alcalai Child 1988

Ammothella alcalai

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Negros Island, Silliman Marine Lab Beach, sta SP-22-1 (1 with eggs, holotype; 1 with eggs, 1 , paratypes).

OTHER MATERIAL.—Silliman Marine Lab Beach, sta SP-18-1 (2 juvs.); Silliman Marine Lab Beach, sta CAC 199 (1 , 1 juv.); S of Dumaguete City, sta NC-1-H (1 ovigerous, 1 juv.); Siquijor Island, sta SP-4-2 (2 juvs.); Siquijor Island, sta CAC 197A (1 ).

DESCRIPTION.—Size small, leg span slightly over 10 mm. Trunk fully segmented, without median tubercles or spines. Lateral processes twice as long as maximum diameter, separated by slightly less than their minimum diameter, armed dorsodistally with one or two short peg-like tubercles of unequal length, both shorter than half lateral process diameter. Anterior three pairs of lateral processes armed with either one or two tubercles randomly, without pattern, posterior pair armed with single tubercle only. Lateral processes without setae or spines. Anteriolateral cephalic segment without tubercles or spines. Ocular tubercle tall, slender, swollen at tip with large darkly pigmented eyes. Tubercle 4.5 times longer than its diameter. Abdomen erect, longer than ocular tubercle, with median bend, armed with median and distal fields of short tubular spines each only slightly longer than segment diameter, and several shorter pointed spines.

Proboscis typical for genus, medially swollen to twice lip diameter, without proximal or distal suture lines.

Chelifores robust, long, 0.9 as long as proboscis. Scape first segment 0.7 as long as second, both armed with short tubular spines and longer distally pointed spines. First segment armed with single dorsodistal tubular spine. Second segment armed with five or six dorsal and lateral tubular spines and four distal longer pointed spines. Tubular spines only slightly longer than segment diameter. Chelae inverted in distal cup, bulbous, with tiny papilla representing vestigial finger, armed with distal seta.

Palp slender, proximally armed with few short setae, distally with fringe of ventral and lateral setae, some slightly longer than segment diameters. Second and fourth segments subequal, fifth and sixth subequal, slightly less than half length of fourth, seventh slightly shorter than sixth, eighth three-fourths as long as seventh, ninth slightly longer than seventh.

Male oviger segments two and four subequal, fifth slightly shorter than fourth, both with few lateral setae. Strigilis segments increasingly shorter distally, sixth with four lateral setae, seventh with three longer ectal setae, the longest twice segment diameter, eighth with two ectal setae and two endal denticulate spines, ninth with one ectal seta and one endal denticulate spine, tenth a bud with two distal denticulate spines. Denticulate spines with at least five serrations per side.

Legs moderately long, slender, armed with scattered tubular spines slightly shorter than segment diameters and longer pointed spines laterally and dorsally. First tibia the longest segment with femur and second tibia each slightly shorter. Dorsodistal cement gland tube robust, thick walled, slightly longer than femoral diameter. Tarsus short, quadrangular, armed with one ventrodistal spine, several short setae. Propodus robust, moderately curved, with several lateral and dorsal spines, mostly distal. Sole with seven or eight short spines, heel with four stout spines, proximal one smaller than others. Claw robust, well curved, half propodal length, auxiliaries slender, almost 0.9 as long as main claw.

MEASUREMENTS (in mm).—Trunk length, 1.04; trunk width (across 2nd lateral processes), 1.05; proboscis length, 0.79; abdomen, 0.75; 3rd leg, coxa 1, 0.26; coxa 2, 0.47; coxa 3, 0.41; femur, 0.87; tibia 1, 0.88; tibia 2, 0.81; tarsus, 0.14; propodus, 0.46; claw, 0.23.

DISTRIBUTION.—Known from the type-locality, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Negros Island, and from adjacent areas of western Siquijor Island in depths of intertidal to three meters.

ETYMOLOGY.—This species is named for Dr. Anjel C. Alcala, Silliman University, Dumaguete City, without whose more than generous help most of the specimens in this report could not have been collected.

coastal