Vibilia armata Bovallius 1887
- Dataset
- A review of the hyperiidean amphipod superfamily Vibilioidea Bowman and Gruner, 1973 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea)
- Rank
- SPECIES
Classification
- kingdom
- Animalia
- phylum
- Arthropoda
- class
- Malacostraca
- order
- Amphipoda
- family
- Vibiliidae
- genus
- Vibilia
- species
- Vibilia armata
materials_examined
Type material Type material of V. armata could not be located at the SMNH, ZMUC or in Uppsala and is considered lost. However the description and figures of V. armata by Bovallius (1887 c) readily distinguish this species. No precise type locality is given by Bovallius (1887 a, c). He merely lists the distribution as “ South Atlantic ” (1887 a), and “ tropical parts of the Atlantic, and the South Atlantic ” (1887 c). Type material of synonyms Type material of V. gracilis and V. gracilenta could not be located at the SMNH, ZMUC or in Uppsala and is considered lost. The specific differences attributed to these two species by Bovallius (1887 a, c) are considered minor, and within the range of the specific limits of V. armata. Type material of V. erratica could not be located in the MNHN or MOM and is considered lost. However, the descriptions and figures of Chevreux (1892, 1935) readily confirm the synonymy. Also, eight specimens from the Norman Collection (11,726 9), in the BMNH, labelled “ Types, Antibes S. France ”, are clearly V. armata. Material examined (> 400 specimens) Coral Sea: 2 lots (BMNH), 2 specimens. Tasman Sea: 1 lot (AM), 34 lots (SAMA), 3 lots (ZMUC), numerous specimens. North Atlantic: 3 lots (BMNH), 5 lots (USNM), 2 lots (ZMH), 19 lots (ZMB), 28 lots (ZMUC), numerous specimens. South Atlantic: 8 lots (BMNH), 14 lots (USNM), 20 lots (SAM), 28 lots (ZMB), 1 lot (ZMUC), numerous specimens. Mediterranean: numerous lots (ZMUC). North Pacific: several lots (LACM), 10 lots (USNM), numerous specimens. South Pacific: 1 lot (USNM), numerous specimens. Central IndoPacific: 3 lots (BMNH), 1 lot (CAS), 2 lots (USNM), numerous specimens. South Indian: 1 lot (BMNH), 33 lots (SAM), 3 lots (SAMA), numerous specimens. Arabian Sea: 5 lots (BMNH), 57 specimens. Diagnosis Body length up to 13 mm but usually 5 – 8 mm. Antennae 1 slightly shorter than head and first two pereonites; flagellum elongated, lanceolate, almost diamondshaped, ending in sharp point terminally. Gnathopod 2; carpal process about as long as propodus; anterodistal corner of propodus slightly produced over dactylus. Pereopods 3 & 4; dactylus length slightly more than half propodus. Pereopods 5 & 6; dactylus length about half propodus. Pereopod 7; basis rectangular, slightly dilated posteriorly, width about 0.7 x length, about as long as ischium to carpus combined, with almost negligible posterodistal lobe. Lateral corners of last urosomite produced, partly overlapping peduncle of U 3. Uropod 3; peduncle distinctly longer than rami; endopod slightly longer than, or subequal in length to, exopod in females, in males the endopod is slightly broader, and up to onethird longer than the exopod. Telson triangular, pointed terminally, length about half (or slightly more) peduncle of U 3. Remarks The combination of characters given in the diagnosis, particularly the shape of antennae 1 and the urosome, readily distinguish V. armata from all its congeners. Two synonyms of this species, V. gracilis and V. gracilenta, have page priority but neither name has been in use for over 50 years whereas V. armata is a well established species in the literature. Thus, consistent with nomenclatural stability, V. armata should continue to be used for this species (ICZN, article 79 c amended). Laval (1963, 1965, 1980) has described the larval biology of V. armata, and its association with salps. It has been recorded as a associate of the salps Salpa fusiformis, Thalia democratica, Ihlea punctata (Laval 1963) and Pegea confoederata var. bicaudata (Laval 1980). Distribution This is a relatively abundant species in the tropical and temperate regions of the world’s oceans.
Name
- Homonyms
- Vibilia armata Bovallius 1887