Amphipoda: Families and Subfamilies

J.K. Lowry & R.T. Springthorpe

Amathillopsidae Pirlot, 1934

Description. Head free, not coalesced with peraeonite 1; exposed; deeper than long; rostrum present, short or moderate; eyes present, well developed or obsolescent, or absent; not coalesced; 1 pair; not bulging. Body laterally compressed; cuticle smooth, or processiferous and dorsally carinate.

Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2; peduncle with sparse robust and slender setae; 3-articulate; peduncular article 1 shorter than article 2, or subequal to article 2; antenna 1 article 2 longer than article 3; peduncular articles 1-2 not geniculate; accessory flagellum present; antenna 1 callynophore absent. Antenna 2 present; medium length; articles not folded in zigzag fashion; without hook-like process; flagellum shorter than peduncle; 5 or more articulate; not clavate; calceoli absent.

Mouthparts well developed. Mandible incisor dentate; lacinia mobilis present on both sides; accessory setal row without distal tuft; molar present, medium, triturative; palp present. Maxilla 1 present; inner plate present, strongly setose along medial margin; palp present, not clavate, 2 -articulate. Maxilla 2 inner plate present; outer plate present. Maxilliped inner and outer plates well developed or reduced, palps present, well developed or reduced; outer plates present; palp 4-articulate, article 3 without rugosities. Labium smooth.

Peraeon. Peraeonites 1-7 separate; complete; sternal gills absent; pleurae absent.

Coxae 1-7 well developed, none fused with peraeonites. Coxae 1-4 longer than broad, overlapping. Coxae 1-3 not successively smaller, none vestigial or coxa 1 reduced. Coxae 2-4 none immensely broadened.

Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; subequal to gnathopod 2; smaller than coxa 2; gnathopod 1 merus and carpus not rotated; gnathopod 1 carpus/propodus not cantilevered; subequal to propodus; gnathopod 1 slightly produced along posterior margin of propodus; dactylus large. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; subchelate; coxa smaller than but not hidden by coxa 3; ischium short; merus not fused along posterior margin of carpus or produced away from it; carpus/propodus not cantilevered, carpus short, subequal to propodus, slightly produced along posterior margin of propodus.

Peraeopods heteropodous (3-4 directed posteriorly, 5-7 directed anteriorly), none prehensile. Peraeopod 3 well developed. Peraeopod 4 well developed. 3-4 not glandular; 3-7 without hooded dactyli, 3-7 propodi without distal spurs. Coxa well developed; carpus longer than propodus, not produced; dactylus well developed. Coxa smaller than coxa 3 or subequal to coxa 3, acuminate ventrally, without posteroventral lobe; carpus not produced. Peraeopods 5-7 with few robust or slender setae; dactyli without slender or robust setae. Peraeopod 5 well developed; subequal in length to peraeopod 6; coxa smaller than coxa 4, without posterior lobe; basis slightly expanded or linear, subrectangular, without posteroventral lobe; merus/carpus free; carpus linear; setae absent. Peraeopod 6 subequal in length to peraeopod 7; merus/carpus free; dactylus without setae. Peraeopod 7 with 6-7 well developed articles; subequal to peraeopod 5; similar in structure to peraeopod 6; with 7 articles; basis slightly expanded or linear, without dense slender setae; dactylus without setae.

Pleon. Pleonites 1-3 without transverse dorsal serrations; without slender or robust dorsal setae. Epimera 1-3 present. Epimeron 1 well developed. Epimeron 2 without setae.

Urosome not dorsoventrally flattened; urosomites 1 to 3 free; urosomite 1 longer than urosomite 2; urosome urosomite 1 carinate; urosomites 1-2 without transverse dorsal serrations. Uropods 1-2 apices of rami without robust setae. Uropods 1-3 similar in structure and size. Uropod 1 peduncle without long plumose setae, without basofacial robust seta, without ventromedial spur. Uropod 2 well developed; without ventromedial spur, without dorsal flange. Uropod 3 not sexually dimorphic; peduncle short; outer ramus subequal to peduncle, 1-articulate, without recurved spines. Telson laminar; emarginate, or entire; apical robust setae absent.

Habitat. marine.

Habitat. benthic.

Remarks. Pirlot (1934) originally set up the family Amathillopsidae. Barnard (1969) placed it in the Paramphithoidae with a collection of mainly epimeriid-type genera. Barnard & Karaman (1991) placed this group in the Iphimediidae. Eventhough it is obviously related it doesn't fit well in this group, mainly because of its well developed gnathopods. In this study we provisionally leave the group as Pirlot originally intended.


Cite this publication as: 'J.K. Lowry & R.T. Springthorpe (2001 onwards). Amphipoda: Families and Subfamilies. Version 1: 1 September 2001. https://crustacea.net/'. Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993, 1995, 2000) should also be cited (see References).

Index