Family ARCTURIDIDAE Poore, 2001

Arcturides cornutus

© Copyright from Studer 1884.

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Regional Maps

Introduction

The family is newly erected for one genus by Poore (2001).

Diagnosis

Body straight, more or less cylindrical. Head and pereonite 1 fused. Pereonite 4 of similar length to pereonite 3. All pleonites fused into pleotelson. Body variously tuberculate or spinose, but never with posterior dorsolateral pair of strong spines on pleotelson; pleotelson without dorsolateral ridges ending in mediodorsal posterior spine. Dorsal coxal plates 2–7 obsolete, bases of pereopods exposed. Mouthparts and pereopod 1 visible in lateral view. Eyes well developed.

Antenna 2 flagellum of 2–3 articles plus distal claw. Pereopod 1 a gnathopod, pereopods 2–4 scarcely differentiated from ambulatory pereopods 5–7. Pereopod 1 dactylus evenly curved along anterior margin, evenly tapering. Pereopods 2–4 with irregular fine setae and marginal robust setae; with prominent dactylus, unguis short; pereopod 4 similar to pereopod 3. Pereopods of males without dense fur of fine setae. Uropodal exopod (smaller ramus) tapering (with terminal setae only), more than half as long as endopod.

Oostegites 1–4 functional, 5 absent; 1–4 supported by coxal lobes. Penes fused as a single penial plate; penial plate apically simple or barely slit. Pleopod 1 peduncle more elongate than on other pleopods; with marginal setae on rami longer than or equal to length of rami. Pleopod 1 exopod of male thickened and with groove on posterior face, with few simple setae along straight lateral margin; with groove on posterior face of exopod ending on tapering distolateral apical extension. Pleopod 2 of male with appendix masculina about as long as endopod, basally less than half width of endopod.

General References

Poore, G.C.B. 2001. Isopoda Valvifera: diagnoses and relationships of the families. Journal of Crustacean Biology 21: 205-230

History of changes