PEREZ FARFANTE: AMERICAN SOLENOCERID SHRIMPS 



B 



A-C l 



D 



FIGURE 36. — Pleoticus robustus, 6 37 mm cl, east of St Lucie Inlet, Fla. A, Left spermatophore dissected from terminal ampulla, 

 ventrolateral view. B, Lateral view. C, Dorsal view. D, 6 38 mm cl, off St Augustine, Fla. Distal portion of left spermatophore 

 (wing extended). 



ing insensibly with lateral base of flange. Wing 

 (Figure 36D) heavy, opaque, with broad base 

 forming rounded lobe continuous with lateral 

 wall, and tapering to short, blunt tip. Flange 

 short, broadly subelliptical. Dorsal plate nearly 

 triangular, anteriorly fitting snugly into deep 

 groove of dorsomesial wall. 



Compound spermatophore applied to female 

 with anterior margin lying approximately at 

 posterior margin of gonophores, and sperm 

 masses — protruding through dorsomesial walls 

 (apparently torn by forced release of those masses 

 during mating) — lodged in paired concavities of 

 sternite XIII. Bases of the wings attached to 

 sternite XIII, their distal parts resting on 

 same sternite, and on ventral articular mem- 

 branes of fourth pereopods. Lateral flaps affixed 

 to sternite XIV, and just posterior to transverse 



folds of sacs, geminate body sloping caudo- 

 dorsally over bulge of sternite XIV; adjoining 

 flanges resting on posterior thoracic ridge. Wings 

 and lateral flaps lie under (dorsal) setose coxae of 

 fourth and fifth pereopods, respectively, which 

 also aid in securing compound spermatophore 

 on female. Dorsal plates, subjacent (dorsally) 

 to caudal part of sacs, directly anchored to sternite 

 XIV, thus helping to hold spermatophore in place. 

 The exceedingly large spermatophores of this 

 shrimp appear to become attached to the female 

 more firmly than those of many other penaeids 

 with open type thelyca. This statement is based 

 on the observation that females with attached 

 spermatophores are frequently found in collec- 

 tions, whereas in other species with open type 

 thelycum such females are rarely encountered. 

 Most of the compound spermatophores that I have 



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