Deep-sea gigantic pycnogonid from the Western Indian Ocean

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Pycnogonida

Order: Pantopoda

Family: Colossendeidae

Colossendeis colossea Wilson, 1881

Collection: South eastern Arabian Sea, off Trivandrum – 8°17’N, 76°01’E, 1262 m, 10.09.13 (FORV SS 319, St. 09); 8°25’N, 75°55’E, 1241 m, 11.12.2013 (FORV SS 321, St. 18). High speed demersal trawl (CV).

Voucher No.: CMLRE R. C. No. 3190908, 3211820

Description: Size extremely large, leg span about 7.9 times that of the trunkand proboscis length combined. Proboscis much longer than trunk, with great median and distal swelling. Lateral processes well separated and not touching; legs very long; ocular tubercle low and unpigmented; distal 3 palp segments straight and sub equal; oviger terminus not sub-chelate.

Biological association: Specimens were collected along with sea anemone and solitary corals, which they generally prey upon.

Remarks: First record from the Western Indian Ocean

Distribution: semi cosmopolitan, bathyal depths in major zones of the world oceans, western north Atlantic; eastern north and south Atlantic; western north and south Pacific; eastern north and south Pacific; western and eastern Indian Ocean, and the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic zones.

Distribution map:

Identified by: Vinu Jacob

Publication: Vinu, J., Kumar, M. R., Sumod, K. S., Deepa, K. P., Hashim, M., Sanjeevan, V. N., & Sudhakar, M. (2016). First record of deep-sea gigantic pycnogonid Colossendeis colossea Wilson, 1881 from the Western Indian Ocean. Marine Biodiversity, 46(2), 495-498.