Amphipoda: Families and Subfamilies

J.K. Lowry & R.T. Springthorpe

Leucothoidae Dana, 1852

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

Antenna 1 shorter than antenna 2, or subequal to antenna 2, or 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, or longer than article 2; antenna 1 article 2 subequal to article 3, or 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, or medium length; articles not folded in zigzag fashion; without hook-like process; flagellum shorter than peduncle; less than 5-articulate, or 5 or more articulate; not clavate; calceoli absent.

Mouthparts well developed or reduced. Mandible incisor dentate, or absent; lacinia mobilis present on both sides; accessory setal row without distal tuft; molar absent; palp present. Maxilla 1 present; inner plate present, weakly setose apically or without setae; palp present, not clavate, 1-1.5-2 -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 reduced, separate; outer plates present or absent, 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 or as long as broad or broader than long, overlapping, coxa 1 anteroventrally acuminate or coxae not acuminate. Coxae 1-3 not successively smaller, none vestigial or coxa 1 reduced or coxa 1 vestigial. Coxae 2-4 none immensely broadened.

Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; smaller (or weaker) than gnathopod 2, or subequal to gnathopod 2; vestigial, hidden or partially hidden by coxa 2, or smaller than coxa 2, or subequal to coxa 2, or vestigial; gnathopod 1 merus and carpus not rotated; gnathopod 1 carpus/propodus not cantilevered; shorter than propodus, or longer than propodus; gnathopod 1 strongly produced along posterior margin of propodus, or not produced along posterior margin of propodus; dactylus large. Gnathopod 2 sexually dimorphic, or not sexually dimorphic; carpochelate, or subchelate; coxa larger than 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.

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 or as long as broad or broader than long; carpus shorter than propodus, not produced; dactylus well developed. Coxa subequal to coxa 3 or larger than coxa 3, not acuminate, with well developed posteroventral lobe or 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; shorter than peraeopod 6, or subequal in length to peraeopod 6; coxa smaller than coxa 4 or subequal to coxa 4, without posterior lobe; basis expanded or slightly expanded, subrectangular or subovate, with posteroventral lobe or without posteroventral lobe; merus/carpus free; carpus linear; setae absent. Peraeopod 6 shorter than peraeopod 7, or subequal in length to peraeopod 7; merus/carpus free; dactylus without setae. Peraeopod 7 with 6-7 well developed articles; subequal to peraeopod 5, or longer than peraeopod 5; similar 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 with robust setae, or 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 subequal to outer ramus, or longer than outer ramus. Uropod 3 not sexually dimorphic; peduncle elongate; outer ramus shorter than peduncle, 1-articulate or 2-articulate, without recurved spines. Telson laminar; entire; longer than broad, or as long as broad, or broader than long; apical robust setae absent.

Habitat. marine.

Remarks. In this study the Anamixidae and Leucothoidae are considered as one family (see introduction).


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