Cranchiids of the South Atlantic Mid-Oceanic Ridge: results from the first southern MAR-ECO expedition
Author
Bolstad, K. S. R.
Institute for Applied Ecology New Zealand, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand;
Author
Perez, J. A. A.
Centro de Ciências Tecnológicas da Terra e do Mar, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil;
Author
Strugnell, J. M.
Department of Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia;
Author
Vidal, E. A. G.
Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
text
Journal of Natural History
2014
2014-02-24
49
21
1351
1371
journal article
21060
10.1080/00222933.2013.867375
0dc3f362-deaa-458d-af36-7dc0076ab698
1464-5262
4006219
Helicocranchia
cf.
pfefferi
(
Figure 5B
) was the second-most numerous cranchiid encountered, represented by nine specimens (ML 8.2–29.0 mm). The minute tentacle clubs (
Figure 6A
) were not well preserved but appeared to have a short carpal region followed by ~11 transverse rows of four suckers, all of similar size across each row, with the diameter of suckers in the third to sixth rows slightly larger than those in the more proximal and distal rows. Sucker morphology appeared consistent overall across rows and along series, with one or two rows of densely set, small circular-tooval faced pegs proximally, and three to four rows distally, with those of the inner row largest; up to six teeth were also observed distally on the infundibular ring. On several suckers, one or more pegs in the inner row appeared abruptly enlarged, and in one instance, several of the distal polygonal platelets and their pegs appeared fused together, while a number of pegs in the outer-most distal row appeared intermediate in morphology between “normal” oval-faced pegs and the elongated, rectangular plates of the outer sucker rim.