Ampithoidae (Amphipoda): World Genera and Australian, North-East Atlantic and Mediterranean Species

L.E. Hughes, N.M. Kilgallen, R.A. King, J.K. Lowry and R.A. Peart
Division of Invertebrate Zoology
The Australian Museum
6 College Street, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
Phone: 612 9320 6260
Fax: 612 9320 6050

Southeastern Regional Taxonomic Centre
Charleston, SC 29422-2559, United States
Phone: 843-953-9794
Fax: 843-953-9820

The Ampithoidae Boeck, 1871, are an abundant group of corophiidean amphipods found in shallow tropical to temperate marine environments worldwide. They are herbivorous, primarily inhabiting macroalgae and seagrasses (Poore & Lowry, 1997). The taxon contains 13 genera and two subgenera which are divided between two subfamilies – the Ampithoinae and the Exampithoinae (Myers & Lowry, 2003). Of these, the genus Ampithoe is the most abundant, containing in excess of 79 species globally (Peart, 2007b).

Presented here is an interactive identification key to world ampithoid genera, and the species of the Australian and Northeast Atlantic regions. Fourty-four Australian species are included, as well as 12 species from the North Atlantic, thus incorporating just under half of the known world species.

This publication should be cited as : Hughes, L.E., Kilgallen, N.M., King, R.A., Lowry, J.K. & Peart, R.A. 2008. Ampithoidae (Amphipoda): Word Genera and Australian, Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Species. Version 1. 1 January 2008. https://crustacea.net.