Atlas of Atlantic Ostracods
Taxon details
Discoconchoecia discophora (Müller, G.W., 1906)
- Order:
- MYODOCOPA
- Suborder:
- Halocypridina
- Family:
- Halocyprididae
- Subfamily:
- Conchoecinae
- Size range (females):
- 1.2-1.5 mm
- Size range (males):
- 1.1-1.3 mm
- Depth:
- mesopelagic
Notes
47 Records
Poulsen (1973) included the two species in Müller’s ‘elegans’ group of species (i.e. those in which the armature of the male’s first antennal ‘e’ seta consists of an oval pad of hairs) in Claus’s genus Paraconchoecia, and described a new species P. tamensis on the basis of a single male specimen. Martens (1979) split these three species off, classifying them in a new genus Discoconchoecia, when ascribing some of his Chilean specimens to a new subspecies D. discophora capetilonga. This genus is widespread and often very abundant at shallow mesopelagic depths. The genus probably contains several more species than are currently recognised (see discussion of D. elegans). Poulsen (1973) separates females of D. elegans and D. discophora on the basis of the presence or absence of a dorsal seta on the first antenna. However, many of the forms of D. elegans have such setae, and yet the relative lengths of the setae of the first and second antennae are identical to Müller’s illustrations of elegans. In the Atlantic, specimens with the carapace outline illustrated by Müller are uncommon deep-water forms, but tend to be somewhat longer than Müller’s lengths. Until the genus is critically revised all records of this species must be regarded as unreliable, and so no size data are given here for this species.
