Nymphon rubrum

Hodge, 1865

Description:
Body very slender and elongate, with widely separated, prolonged lateral processes, each with two stiff diverging bristles at the dorsal tips. Cephalon about as long as the two succeeding segments together, with an elongate and slender neck. Abdomen comparatively small, cylindrical and directed upwards.
Ocular tubercle remarkably elevated, conical acuminated, higher than broad. Proboscis hardly more than half as long as the cephalon. Chelifores well developed, the hand shorter than the scape, densely hirsute; fingers shorter than the palm. Palps very slender, the 2nd and 3rd segments nearly equal in length.
Ovigerous legs with ten segments present in both sexes, in male longer than the body; 4th and 5th segments elongated and slender, terminal part scarcely longer than the 5th segment, with numerous marginal spines; marginal spines with about seven teeth on either side.
Ambulatory legs slender, more than three times longer than the body, and beset with scattered, highly chitinised bristles; femur about as tibia 1; tibia 2 considerably longer and more than twice as long as the terminal part; tarsus nearly the length of the propodus, the latter nearly straight and armed on the inner edge with numerous spines unequal in size; terminal claw about half as long as the propodus, auxiliary claws well developed.
Colour red, with darker transversal bands. Length of the body up to 4.5 mm; the extent between the points of the ambulatory legs reaching 23 mm.

Habitat:
Littoral and sublittoral, down to 60 m.

Distribution:
Occurs from the Russian Arctic, Norway, Britain, Ireland and Holland.

%LABEL% (%SOURCE%)