Family ANTHURIDAE Leach, 1814

Mesanthura stypandra

Museums

Museum list

Regional Maps

Family ANTHURIDAE Leach, 1814

Introduction

All anthurids are marine or estuarine benthic inhabitants of soft-bottom or algal environments. Males of most species have large eyes, aesthetasc-bearing first antennae and swim in the plankton. The only species studied ecologically are members of Cyathura, an estuarine genus (Burbanck et al. 1979; Wägele 1979). Wägele (1981) reviewed anthurid anatomy.

Barnard's (1925) review of the systematics of the family has been superseded by Poore's (2001) monograph. Negoescu & Wägele (1984) and more recently Poore (2001) listed all the genera and species known and provided a list of important literature. Poore (2001) provided a key to genera and numerous Australian species are keyed in our recent publications.

Diagnosis

Body 10–15 times as long as wide, non-males rarely more elongate (pereonite 7 wider than long, much shorter than pereonite 6). Pleonites 1–5 together not more than twice as long as wide, fused; without marginal plumose setae on pleonal epimera or posterior borders of pleonites 4 and 5. Antenna 2 flagellum of fewer than 10 articles, shorter than peduncle. Mouthparts not produced anteriorly. Mandible compact and with weakly-toothed transverse incisor. Maxillipedal endite reaching palp article 3, or absent or obsolete; palp broad (c. twice as long as wide), with 5 free articles or with 2 or more articles fused. Pereopods 2 and 3 carpus not or weakly produced posterodistally; propodus with posterodistal robust seta only. Pereopods 4–7 propodus with posterodistal robust seta only. Pereopod 7 propodus without anterodistal serrate setae. Pleopods: pleopod 1 exopod operculiform alone. Statocysts paired.