Amphipoda: Families and Subfamilies

J.K. Lowry & R.T. Springthorpe

Ceradocopsis Group

Description. Head free, not coalesced with peraeonite 1; exposed; as long as deep; anteroventral corner hooked; rostrum absent; eyes present, well developed or obsolescent; not coalesced; 1 pair; not bulging. Body laterally compressed; cuticle smooth.

Antenna 1 subequal to antenna 2, or longer than antenna 2; peduncle with sparse robust and slender setae; 3-articulate; peduncular article 1 longer than 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; short; 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; inner plates well developed, separate; outer plates present, small; 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 or as long as broad, overlapping, coxa 1 anteroventrally acuminate or coxae not acuminate. Coxae 1-3 not successively smaller, none vestigial. Coxae 2-4 none immensely broadened.

Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; smaller (or weaker) than gnathopod 2; subequal to coxa 2; gnathopod 1 merus and carpus not rotated; gnathopod 1 carpus/propodus not cantilevered; shorter than propodus, or subequal to propodus; gnathopod 1 not produced along posterior margin of propodus; dactylus large. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; subchelate; coxa subequal to 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, shorter than propodus, not 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, longer than broad; carpus subequal to propodus or longer than propodus, not produced; dactylus well developed. Coxa subequal to coxa 3, not acuminate, without posteroventral lobe; carpus not produced. Peraeopods 5-7 with many rows of marginal robust setae; some or all dactyli with slender or robust setae. Peraeopod 5 well developed; shorter than peraeopod 6; coxa subequal to coxa 4, with ventrally produced posterior lobe; basis expanded or slightly expanded, subrectangular, without posteroventral lobe; merus/carpus free; carpus expanded; with a few subterminal setae. Peraeopod 6 shorter than peraeopod 7, or subequal in length to peraeopod 7; merus/carpus free; dactylus with a few subterminal setae. Peraeopod 7 with 6-7 well developed articles; longer than peraeopod 5; similar in structure to peraeopod 6; with 7 articles; basis expanded, without dense slender setae; dactylus with a few subterminal setae.

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

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

Habitat. marine.

Habitat. benthic.

Remarks. The Ceradocopsis Group is composed of one genus and 6 species of shallow water austral marine amphipods known from the subantarctic islands and southern New Zealand and Australia. Lowry & Fenwick (1983) revised the Group and Moore (1988) added an additional species.


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