Amphipoda: Families and Subfamilies

J.K. Lowry & R.T. Springthorpe

Thoriella Group

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

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

Mouthparts reduced. Mandible incisor smooth, or left minutely dentate, right smooth; lacinia mobilis present on left side only, or absent; accessory setal row without distal tuft; molar absent; palp absent. Maxilla 1 present; inner plate present, strongly setose along medial margin or weakly setose apically; 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, or inner and outer plates well developed or reduced, palps absent; inner plates well developed, separate; outer plates present, very large; palp 4-articulate or 3-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 or broader than long, overlapping, coxae not acuminate. Coxae 1-3 not successively smaller, coxa 1 vestigial or coxae 1-2 vestigial. Coxae 2-4 coxae 3-4 immensely broadened, rabetted, or coxa 4 immensely broadened, or none immensely broadened.

Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; smaller (or weaker) than gnathopod 2; smaller than coxa 2, or 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 not produced along posterior margin of propodus; dactylus large, or minute. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; subchelate; coxa smaller than but not hidden by coxa 3, or smaller than and mostly hidden by coxa 3; ischium elongate; merus not fused along posterior margin of carpus or produced away from it; carpus/propodus not cantilevered, carpus elongate, longer than propodus, not produced along posterior margin of propodus.

Peraeopods heteropodous (3-4 directed posteriorly, 5-7 directed anteriorly), some or all prehensile or none prehensile. Peraeopod 3 well developed. Peraeopod 4 well developed. 3-4 not glandular; 3-7 without hooded dactyli, 3-7 propodi with distal spurs or propodi without distal spurs. Coxa well developed, longer than broad; carpus subequal to propodus, produced anteriorly; dactylus well developed. Coxa larger than coxa 3, not acuminate, 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 or subequal to coxa 4, with ventrally produced posterior lobe or without posterior lobe; basis slightly expanded or linear, subrectangular, with posteroventral lobe or 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; 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, or 1 and 2 free, urosomite 3 absent; 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 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 shorter than outer ramus, or subequal to outer ramus. Uropod 3 not sexually dimorphic; peduncle short.


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