Amphipoda: Families and Subfamilies

J.K. Lowry & R.T. Springthorpe

Oedicerotidae Liljeborg, 1865

Description. Head free, not coalesced with peraeonite 1; exposed; as long as deep, or longer than deep; anteroventral margin oblique; rostrum present or absent, short or long; eyes present, well developed or obsolescent, or absent; coalesced, or 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 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, or as long as peduncle, or longer than peduncle; 5 or more articulate; not clavate; calceoli present.

Mouthparts well developed. Mandible incisor dentate, or smooth; accessory setal row without distal tuft; molar present, medium, triturative or non-triturative; palp present. 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; inner plates well developed, separate; outer plates present, small; 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, 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; 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 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 not cantilevered, carpus short or elongate, shorter than propodus or subequal to 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 or broader than long or as long as broad; carpus subequal to 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 many rows of facial and marginal robust 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, without posterior lobe or equilobate; basis expanded or slightly expanded, subrectangular or subovate, without posteroventral lobe; merus/carpus free; carpus linear; setae absent. Peraeopod 6 shorter than peraeopod 7; merus/carpus free; dactylus without setae. Peraeopod 7 with 6-7 well developed articles; immensely elongate; different in structure to peraeopod 6; with 7 articles; basis expanded, 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 free, 2 and 3 coalesced; 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 subequal to outer ramus. Uropod 3 not sexually dimorphic; peduncle elongate; outer ramus subequal to peduncle or longer than peduncle, 1-articulate, without recurved spines. Telson laminar; notched, or emarginate, or entire; as long as broad; apical robust setae present, or absent.

Habitat. marine or estuarine.

Remarks. The Pardiliscidae is a very poorly known group in Australian waters.


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