A review of the hyperiidean amphipod superfamily Lanceoloidea Bowman & Gruner, 1973 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea)
Author
Zeidler, Wolfgang
text
Zootaxa
2009
2009-02-04
2000
1
117
journal article
11755334
Superfamily
LANCEOLOIDEA
Bowman & Gruner, 1973
Diagnosis.
Sexual dimorphism of pereon not pronounced. Antennae 1 relatively short in both sexes (except
Metalanceola
,
Microphasmidae
and
Mimonecteolidae
fam. nov.
). Eyes usually very small or absent or, in
Scypholanceola
, modified into two large, cup-shaped reflector organs on either side of head. Mandibles with broad incisor with large tooth adjacent to incisor (except
Prolanceola
); left with reduced lacinia mobilis (except
Megalanceola
,
Megalanceoloides
gen. nov.
,
Prolanceola
and
Chuneola
); palp strong (absent in
Chuneola
), with third article shorter than first two combined (except
Prolanceola
and
Megalanceoloides
gen. nov.
). Pereopods 6 & 7 (and sometimes also other pereopods, especially P5) usually with retractile and hooded dactyls (simple in
Microphasmidae
and
Mimonecteolidae
fam. nov.
).
Seven families:
Lanceolidae
,
Chuneolidae
,
Microphasmidae
,
Prolanceolidae
fam. nov.
,
Metalanceolidae
fam. nov.
,
Megalanceolidae
fam. nov.
and
Mimonecteolidae
fam. nov.
Remarks.
The superfamily
Lanceoloidea
was proposed by
Bowman and Gruner (1973)
to replace the old subtribe name Lanceoliformata, proposed by
Stephensen and Pirlot (1931)
, to encompass the families
Lanceolidae
,
Chuneolidae
and
Microphasmidae
. Although this group is united by a combination of several characters as in the diagnosis above, it is a morphologically diverse group, with some members sharing some characters with the other two superfamilies in the infraorder
Physosomata
.
It differs primarily from the Archaeoscinoidea in lacking the extreme sexual dimorphism of the pereon, in having a relatively broad mandibular incisor and that the third article of the mandibular palp is shorter than the first two combined (except
Prolanceola
and
Megalanceoloides
gen. nov.
).
According to
Vinogradov
et al
. (1982)
, lanceolids are parasitoids of deepwater coelenterates. The long, retractile dactyls of many species enabling firm attachment to a gelatinous host.