Nephropides

Nephropides caribaeus is a species of decapods from the monotypic genus Nephropides. It is distributed in the western Caribbean and easily distinguished from the other species of lobster -like.

Description

The slightly upturned rostrum of Nephropides caribaeus is rather narrow and extends beyond the bases of the two antennas ( Antennular and antennal peduncle ). It has no back or belly side, but two or three irregularly placed lateral spines. A characteristic feature is the carapace, the small tubercles me is completely littered. In the longitudinal direction extends from the rostrum of the entire carapace dorsal side of a marked depression.

Also, the abdomen is like the carapace covered with flat nodules. Each have no somites median, longitudinal ridge, however, a transverse depression. The lateral attachment of a Somits, the Pleuron is on the second trapezoidal Thus, while the remaining somites are more triangular. The somites do not overlap, the trailing edge has a distinct ridge The telson is rather longer than wide, with numerous nodules provided.

The eyes are rather small, oblong and distinctly pigmented black. You do not extend beyond the first segment of the first antennae. The bases of the antennae have two or three lateral spines; but these can be absent. The flagella of the first antenna pair ( Antennules ) are shorter than the carapace. The two inner flagella are thinner and longer than the outer, which ( distal) are hairy laterally towards the end. The flagella of the second pair of antennas (antenna ) are very long and are significantly longer than the body length. The exopodite of the second antenna ( Scaphocerite ) is missing.

The large claws on the first pair of walking legs are provided rather uneven and with countless tips and nodules. The scissor fingers are hairy clear down to the very tip. The first pair of walking legs is about twice as long as the carapace. On the second and third pair of walking legs are very small scissors. The two pairs of legs are about the same length, provided with spikes and nodules and with scattered hairs on the scissors. The peraeopods pairs 4 and 5 do not have scissors.

In males, the first pair of swimming legs is elongated and hardened, which is the female thin ( filiform ) and mobile. The rather elongate appendix masculina, a kind of clamp-like appendix in males is, on the second swimming leg about one third as long as the associated endopodite. Both in males than with the females lack the appendices internae.

The endo-and Exopoditen the uropods also have numerous round nodules on their dorsal surface. The exopodite is provided with a distinct diaeresis, a transverse recess.

The coloring of Nephropides caribaeus was described as reddish. The scissors are rather bright - red, the hairs on the scissor fingers are white. The carapace and antennae are red -orange, the abdomen is rather blotchy red. The length of the carapace ranges from 5 cm to 6 cm, with a total body length of up to 17.5 cm. Males and females are about the same.

Distribution and habitat

Nephropides caribaeus is native to the continental shelf or in the deep sea of the western Caribbean Sea at depths of 455 m to 728 m. The circulation area ranges from Belize to Colombia. The populated by Nephropides caribaeus seabed is muddy rather than rocky.

Due to its large body size Nephropides caribaeus could be of commercial interest, but was not previously fished. The lack of knowledge about population and potential threat caused no hazard classification ( "Data Deficient " ) by the IUCN.

Systematics and Taxonomy

Raymond B. Manning described Nephropides caribaeus reference to several individuals and certain a male with a total body length of 17.5 cm, which in Nicaragua (12 ° 25'N, 82 ° 15'W12 .416666666667-82.25 ) from a depth between 546 m and 582 m was taken as the holotype. The genus name refers to the morphologically similar genus Nephrops, the Greek suffix '- ides ' means literally ' descendant of'. The specific epithet refers to the origin of the Caribbean Art

Nephropides is within the lobster -like most closely related to the genus Eunephrops. The classification of the genus Nephropides together with Nephropsis, Thymops and Thymopsis in the subfamily Thymopinae Holthuis, 1974 is outdated and no longer in use.