Heterofragilia hirsuta Nakamura & Child 1991

Heterofragilia hirsuta

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—HONSHU: Sagami Bay, E of Ohshima, 454–495 m, 25 Dec 1969 (1 with eggs, holotype, USNM 234473, 1 with eggs, 1, paratypes, USNM 234474).

DESCRIPTION.—Size large, leg span 70.8 mm. Trunk and all appendages very hirsute, sometimes obscuring segment outlines, most dorsal setae very long, very slender, to 2–3 times segment diameter, lateral and ventral setae much shorter. Trunk segment posteriors with large inflated rims having short blunt median tubercles bearing long setae. Lateral processes slightly clubbed distally, twice or slightly over twice as long as their diameter with 8–9 long dorsal and laterodistal setae, shorter lateral and ventral setae. Oviger implantation against first lateral process anteriore, originating in large bulbous tubercles. Palps and chelifores originating from smaller bulbous tubercles. Ocular tubercle constricted proximally, 3 times as long as minimum diameter, with distal and posterior long setae. Eyes evident in large anterior pair only, unpigmented, posterior pair lacking. Proboscis with single constriction proximally, inflated at midlength, lips flat to slightly inflated, oral aperture gaping. Abdomen long, cylindrical, curved slightly ventrally, with many long dorsal setae and shorter lateral setae.

Chelifores 0.8 proboscis length, scape 2-segmented, fully chelate, with many long dorsal setae and shorter lateral setae. First scape segment 0.2 longer than second segment. Chelae tiny, palm very short, fingers well curved, smooth, overlap at tips, without teeth, palm armed with single long seta.

Palps 10-segmented, first 2 segments not as long as their diameters, third segment longest, fifth 0.8 length of third, combined length of terminal 5 segments equal to length of fifth. Terminal 3 segments subequal, seventh slightly longer, sixth through tenth armed with fields of short ventral setae.

Ovigers with many very short ectal and endal setae. Fourth and fifth segments subequal, moderately curved, sixth segment slightly shorter, with distal field of many short setae. Strigilis 4 segments increasingly short distally, armed with ectal fields of short setae and plain endal spines without denticulations in the formula 9:5:4:6. Spines flanked by rows of shorter setae. Spines short on proximal segments and longer on distal segments with terminal spines of tenth segment longest, forming subchelate structure with terminal claw. Claw 0.7 length of terminal segment. Eggs tiny, carried in long cemented “blankets” wound around each oviger at the fifth segment.

Legs extremely setose dorsally with most setae twice or more as long as segment diameters. Lateral setae shorter and ventral setae very short. Femur the longest segment with first tibia longer than second. Terminal segments very small, tarsus short, only 0.35 propodus length. Propodus slender, well curved, without long setae, sole spines tiny, numerous. Terminal claw short, slightly curved, without auxiliaries. Sexual pores on posterior 2 pairs of second coxae only. Cement gland contained in swollen elevated surface as long as 0.8 of the ventral femur surface on posterior pair of legs only, with many tiny slit-like pores in integument surface. Anterior 6 legs without swollen elevated surface, lacking slit pores.

Female Paratype: Much less setose, bearing less than half the numbers of male setae with fewer long setae. Size slightly larger in all measurements except for oviger, which is smaller and bears many less setae. Strigilis plain spine count 7:5:4:6. Sexual pores lacking on anterior second coxa pair, present on other six second coxae.

MEASUREMENTS (holotype, in mm).—Trunk length (chelifore insertion to tip 4th lateral processes), 9.9; trunk width (across 2nd lateral processes), 8.8; proboscis length, 8.3; abdomen length, 5.6; third leg, coxa 1, 2.4; coxa 2, 2.5; coxa 3, 1.9; femur, 8.0; tibia 1, 6.1; tibia 2, 5.9; tarsus, 0.9; propodus, 2.6; claw, 0.7.

DISTRIBUTION.—The new species is known only from the outer edge of Sagami Bay, E of Ohshima, in 454–495 meters.

ETYMOLOGY.—The new species name is from the Latin hirsuta (hairy, shaggy), and refers to the extremely setose aspect of the specimens.

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