Tiron spiniferus

(Stimpson, 1853)

Description:
Body robust, laterally flattened; pleon segments 1 to 3 with posterodistal margin toothed; pleon segments 4 to 6 each with large dorsal tooth. Coxal plates 1 to 4 distal margin setose; plate 1 expanded distally, anterior margin rounded; plates 2 and 3 subrectangular; plate 4 tapering distally; plates 5 and 6 with large posterior lobe. Epimeral plate 3 posterodistal angle with small tooth. Head with rostrum large and curved, lateral lobes only weakly produced; eyes large and rounded, also with pair of small accessory eyes. Antenna 1 peduncle articles decreasing in length from 1 to 3, flagellum in female little longer than peduncle and about 10-articulate; in male much longer with article 1 elongate and setose; accessory flagellum about 5-articulate. Antenna 2 peduncle article 5 little shorter than 4, flagellum in female shorter than peduncle and about 10-articulate; in male flagellum much longer, about 15-articulate. Gnathopod 1 slender, simple, basis setose, carpus much longer than propodus, setose, propodus small and about rectangular, palm not defined, dactylus slender. Gnathopod 2 carpus little longer and more slender than 1. Pereiopods 3 and 4 small, sparsely setose. Pereiopods 5 to 7 robust, spinose, increasing in length markedly from 5 to 7. Pereiopod 7 basis very broadly expanded, posterior margin smooth or feebly crenulate, merus and carpus robust and spinose, dactylus small and curved with strong inner marginal seta. Uropods 1 and 2 outer ramus much shorter than inner. spinose; uropod 2 shorter than 1; uropod 3 rami subequal, reaching well beyond uropod 1, lanceolate, setose. Telson very long and slender, narrowly triangular, cleft almost to base and reaching almost to end of uropod 3.

Size:
Up to 9 mm.

Colour:
Dark reddish brown.

Habitat:
Depth range from 30 to 200 metres, occasionally recorded to 900 metres.

Distribution:
Arctic Ocean; North Atlantic. American and European coasts; Greenland, Iceland, Norway; Skagerrak, Bohuslän, Aberdeen, Northumberland.

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