Amphipoda: Families and Subfamilies

J.K. Lowry & R.T. Springthorpe

Neoniphargidae Bousfield, 1977

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

Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2; peduncle with many robust and slender setae, or 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; 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 present, or 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, 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; inner plates well developed, separate; outer plates present, small; palp 4-articulate, article 3 with rugosities. Labium smooth.

Peraeon. Peraeonites 1-7 separate; complete; sternal gills present; pleurae absent.

Coxae 1-7 well developed, none fused with peraeonites. Coxae 1-4 longer than broad or broader than long, overlapping, coxae not acuminate. Coxae 1-3 not successively smaller, none vestigial. Coxae 2-4 none immensely broadened.

Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; subequal to gnathopod 2; smaller than coxa 2; gnathopod 1 merus and carpus not rotated; gnathopod 1 carpus/propodus cantilevered on narrow hinge, or carpus/propodus not cantilevered; shorter than propodus, or subequal to propodus; gnathopod 1 slightly produced along posterior margin of propodus, or not produced along posterior margin of propodus; dactylus large. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; subchelate; coxa smaller than but not hidden by coxa 3, or 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 cantilevered on narrow hinge or carpus/propodus not cantilevered, carpus short, shorter than propodus, 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 shorter than propodus or subequal to propodus, not produced; dactylus well developed. Coxa larger than coxa 3, not acuminate, with well developed posteroventral lobe or with small posterior 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; basis expanded, subrectangular or subovate, with posteroventral lobe; merus/carpus free; carpus linear; with a few subterminal setae. Peraeopod 6 longer than peraeopod 7; merus/carpus free; dactylus with a few subterminal 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, without dense slender setae; dactylus with a few subterminal setae.

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

Urosome not dorsoventrally flattened; urosomites 1 to 3 free; urosomite 1 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, 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 short or elongate; outer ramus longer than peduncle, 2-articulate, without recurved spines. Telson laminar; deeply cleft, or moderately cleft, or weakly cleft, or notched; longer than broad, or as long as broad, or broader than long; apical robust setae present.

Habitat. freshwater and stygobiont.

Remarks. The only difference between neoniphargids and paramelitids seems to be the presence of "rugosities" on the maxillipedal palp. Wesniphargus doesn't appear to have rugosities on the maxilliped??.


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