Ebalia nux A. Milne-Edwards 1883

Ebalia nux A. Milne Edwards, 1883

Ebalia nux A. Milne Edwards, 1883, pl. 5.—Monod, 1956:121 [references].—Zariquiey Alvarez, 1968:328, figs. 108c, 111Ab [Spain; references].—Türkay, 1976a:25 [listed], 37, fig. 18 [Morocco].

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Pillsbury Material: None.

Other Material: Morocco: Off Cap de Mazagan, 33°38′N, 08°45′W, 420 m, Agassiz trawl, 28 Mar 1976, Onversaagd Sta 150, 1 (L). Same area, 33°40′N, 08°45′W, 570 m, Agassiz trawl, 2 Mar 1976, Onversaagd Sta 154, 1 ov (L). Same area, 33°39′N, 08°46′W, 500 m, Agassiz trawl, 28 Mar 1976, Onversaagd Sta 151, 2 (L).

DESCRIPTION.—Zariquiey Alvarez, 1968:329.

Figures: Zariquiey Alvarez, 1968, figs. 108c, 111Ab.

Male Pleopod: Zariquiey Alvarez, 1968, fig. 111Ab (locality not stated); Türkay, 1976a, fig. 18 (Morocco).

MEASUREMENTS.—Our specimens have carapace widths of 7 to 10 mm; the carapace width of the single ovigerous female is 10 mm.

BIOLOGY.—Ebalia nux is a deep water species which has been taken in depths between 80 and 2400–2500 m. In the southern part of its range it has been taken in depths between 161–168 and 875 m (A. Milne Edwards and Bouvier, 1900; Bouvier, 1922; Türkay, 1976a).

The only ovigerous female reported from African localities is that listed above; it was collected in March.

DISTRIBUTION.—Eastern Atlantic, from the British Isles to the Cape Verde Islands, Mediterranean, in depths between 80 and 2400–2500 m. Monod (1956) summarized the literature but reported no material. Since 1956 the species has been recorded from the following localities.

Morocco: 33°27.7′N, 08°50.8′W, 161–168 m, and 31°-01′N, 10°16′W, 360–375 m (Türkay, 1976a).

*Ebalia tuberculata Miers, 1881

Ebalia tuberculata.—Capart, 1951:56, pl 2: fig. 2.—Monod, 1956:127, figs. 152–158.—Gauld, 1960:69.—Forest and Guinot, 1966:54.

SYNONYM.—Lithadia barnardi Stebbing, 1920.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Pillsbury Material: Ghana: Sta 22, 51 m, rough bottom, 2 (L). Sta 23, 42 m, foliate brown to orange bryozoans, 1 (L). Sta 24, 35–37 m, dark red bryozoans, 7, 3 (W). Sta 27, 33 m, 1 gynandromorph (L).

Nigeria: Sta 248, 33 m, 2, 2 ov (L).

Annobon: Sta 283, 51–55 m, nodular coralline algae, 1 (L).

DESCRIPTION.—Capart, 1951:56.

Figures: Monod, 1956, figs. 152–158.

Male Pleopod: Capart, 1951, pl. 2: fig. 2 (Spanish Sahara); Monod, 1956, figs. 154–158 (Morocco; Ghana).

MEASUREMENTS.—Our specimens have carapace lengths of 6 to 10 mm; the gynandromorph measures 7.6 × 8.5 mm.

DISTRIBUTION.—Off West Africa, where it occurs from localities between Morocco and Angola and possibly South Africa. Monod (1956), who recorded material from Morocco, the Cape Verde Islands, Senegal, Ghana, and Angola, summarized the earlier literature. Since 1956 this species has been recorded from the following localities.

Senegal: 12°55.5′N, 17°33′W, 65–75 m (Forest and Guinot, 1966).

Ghana: Accra, 37–51 m (Gauld, 1960).

Nigeria: Off the mouths of the Niger River, 04°03′N, 06°12′E, 32 m (Forest and Guinot, 1966).

This species has not been recorded previously from Annobon.