A review of the families and genera of the hyperiidean amphipod superfamily Phronimoidea Bowman & Gruner, 1973 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea)
Author
Zeidler, Wolfgang
text
Zootaxa
2004
2004-07-14
567
1
66
journal article
4802
10.11646/zootaxa.567.1.1
173cf168-6357-4b76-955f-7b523590ff1d
11755334
5259734
41C7D868-7BD9-46F4-94F1-EBEA427E2836
Family
PHROSINIDAE
Dana, 1852
Diagnosis
Body length
10–30 mm
, rather compact with relatively thick cuticle, relatively transparent. Head large, globular, height more than length. Eyes large, occupying most of head surface. Pereonites all separate, or pereonites 1 & 2 fused. Coxae separate from pereonites. Antennae 1 reduced to two articles in females; multiarticulate, in males with enlarged callynophore, with aesthetasc brush composed of two asymmetrical fields located ventromedially and ventrolaterally. Antennae 2 rudimentary, or absent in females; multiarticulate in males. Mandibles with palp in males, without palp in females; molar welldeveloped. Maxillae 1 with palp and welldeveloped outer lobe, inner lobe absent. Maxillae 2 bilobed, welldeveloped. Maxilliped with slender outer lobes; inner lobe about halflength outer lobes. Gnathopods 1 & 2 simple. Pereopods 3–6 prehensile, or subchelate. Pereopod 5 the longest with large, denticulate subchela. Pereopods 5–7 with broad basis. Pereopod 7 reduced in size, sometimes with reduced number of articles. Uropods composed of single, foliaceous article. Telson small, not longer than halflength U3. Gills on pereonites 2–6. Oostegites on pereonites 2–5.
Three genera:
Phrosina
,
Anchylomera
and
Primno
.
Remarks
Species of this family are very distinctive, and are often present in plankton collections, sometimes in very large numbers.
Phrosina
and
Anchylomera
are monotypic, and
Primno
has been revised by
Bowman (1978)
. Thus, only minimal additional information is provided here.
The structure of the uropods, each consisting of a single leaflike article, is a unique feature amongst the
Hyperiidea
. They may serve as effective locomotory organs as phrosinids are known to be active swimmers, and sometimes occur in large swarms (
Lobel & Randall 1986
).
Key to the genera of the Family
PHROSINIDAE
1. Pereopods 3 & 4 distinctly subchelate, with large teeth on distal margin of carpus. Pereopod 7 reduced to basis and one tiny additional article
.........
Phrosina
Risso, 1822
Pereopods 3 & 4 simple, or if subchelate, with very small teeth, or bristles on distal margin of carpus. Pereopod 7 reduced, with at least 2 articles in addition to basis...... 2
2. Pereopods 3 & 4 simple. Pereonites 1 & 2 separate
....
Primno
GuérinMéneville, 1836
Pereopods 3 & 4 distinctly subchelate. Pereonites 1 & 2 fused ......................................
................................................................................
Anchylomera
MilneEdwards, 1830