Amphipoda: Families and Subfamilies

J.K. Lowry & R.T. Springthorpe

Cyproideidae J.L. Barnard, 1974

Description. Head free, not coalesced with peraeonite 1; exposed; deeper than long; rostrum present, long; eyes present, well developed or obsolescent; not coalesced; 1 pair; not bulging. Body laterally compressed, or subglobular; cuticle smooth.

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

Mouthparts well developed. Mandible incisor dentate; accessory setal row without distal tuft; molar present, medium, triturative; palp present or absent. Maxilla 1 present; inner plate present, weakly setose apically; palp present, not clavate, 1-3 -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 or vestigial; 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 and as long as broad, overlapping, coxae not acuminate. Coxae 1-3 not successively smaller, coxae 1-2 vestigial. Coxae 2-4 coxae 3-4 immensely broadened, rabetted.

Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; smaller (or weaker) than gnathopod 2, or subequal to 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, or longer than propodus; gnathopod 1 strongly produced along posterior margin of propodus, or slightly produced along posterior margin of propodus, or not produced along posterior margin of propodus; dactylus large. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; simple, or merochelate, or carpochelate, or subchelate, or parachelate, or chelate; coxa smaller than and mostly 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 or longer than propodus, strongly produced along posterior margin of propodus or slightly produced along posterior margin of propodus or 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, not produced; dactylus well developed. Coxa larger than coxa 3, not acuminate, with well developed 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 linear, subrectangular or subovate, without posteroventral lobe; merus/carpus free; carpus linear; setae absent. Peraeopod 6 subequal in length to peraeopod 7, or longer than 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, or different in structure to peraeopod 6; with 7 articles; basis expanded or linear, without dense slender setae; dactylus without 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 without setae.

Urosome not dorsoventrally flattened; urosomites 1 to 3 free; urosomite 1 much longer than urosomite 2; urosome urosomites not 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; inner ramus longer than outer ramus. Uropod 3 not sexually dimorphic; peduncle short or elongate; outer ramus shorter than peduncle, 1-articulate, without recurved spines. Telson laminar, or thickened dorsoventrally (occasionally); entire; longer than broad; apical robust setae absent.

Habitat. marine.

Habitat. benthic.


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