Subfamily Argeiinae Markham, 1977

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Introduction

Members of the subfamily are branchial parasites of carideans. The subfamily was redefined by Markham (1985).

Diagnosis

Female: Body ovoid, about as wide as long, only slightly distorted, all body regions and segments distinct; head subrectangular, wider than long; pereomeres either bearing lateral plates or prominently divided laterally; oostegites surrounding, but not covering brood pouch; 6 pleomeres, first 5 produced into prominent oval to lanceolate lateral plates; pleopods uniramous, often reduced to knobs on ventral surface, especially posteriorly; uropods uniramous, of same size and shape as lateral plates. Male: Body about three times as long as wide; head generally much narrower than pereon and only about 0.1 of body length; pereomeres distinctly separated, all of nearly same width or broader posteriorly; pleon semicircular to triangular, unsegmented, lacking appendages.

General References

Markham, J.C. 1977. Description of a new Western Atlantic species of Argeia Dana with a proposed new subfamily for this and related genera (Crustacea, Isopoda, Bopyridae). Zoologische Mededelingen (Leiden) 52: 107-123

Markham, J.C. 1985. A review of the bopyrid isopods infesting caridean shrimps in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, with special reference to those collected during the Hourglass Cruises in the Gulf of Mexico. Memoirs of the Hourglass Cruises 7(3): 1-156

History of changes