Marine Species Identification Portal : Eurydice pulchra

Leach, 1815

Description
Antennula (a1) with the first article extending forwards, the second article in a right angle to the first. Antennules similar in both sexes, reaching the anterior lateral angle of the pereion; third peduncular segment a little longer than the second. Antennal peduncle (a2) with four distinct articles. Maxillipede without coupling hooks on the inner border. Pleon somite 5 not markedly reduced, with the lateral borders contributing to the body outline.
Coxal plates of pereion somite 6 with the posterior angle produced into a fairly long process; coxal plate of pereion somite 7 with rather small process at posterior angle.
Pleopod 1 with both rami thinly chitinised and fringed with setae. The peduncle of the uropod is not markedly reduced backwards alongside the inner border of the endopod; the articulation between the peduncle and the endopod is short. Pleotelson with posterior border fairly broadly rounded, with two small spines towards each corner and with fairly long plumose setae.

Size
Length of male 4-8 mm, females 4-6.5 mm

Colour
Darker than Eurydice affinis (yellowish in alcohol); numerous black chromatophores extending laterally and ventrally to the pleon.

Depth range
Littoral down to 180 m.

Distribution in the North Sea
All North Sea, Skagerrak.

World distribution
Generally distributed in Britain, falling off in abundance in the southeast. It ranges from Norway and the outer Baltic to the Atlantic coast of Morocco, but evidently not into the Mediterranean.

Eurydice pulchra