Family BENTHESICYMIDAE Wood-Mason, 1891

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Family BENTHESICYMIDAE Wood-Mason, 1891

Benthesicyminae Wood-Mason, J. 1891. Phylum Appendiculata. Branch Arthropoda. Class Crustacea. In Wood-Mason, J. & Alcock, A., Natural history notes from H.M. Indian marine survey steamer "Investigator", Commander R.F. Hoskyn, R.N., commanding. No. 21. Note on the results of deep sea dredging during the season 1890–91. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 6 8: 269-286 [Date published October 1891] [286] [as Benthesicymina; name in the corrected spelling, Benthesicyminae, placed on the Official List of Family-Group Names in Zoology, see International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1969. Opinion 864. Penaeid generic names (Crustacea, Decapoda): addition of twenty-eight to the Official List. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 25: 138–147 (141)].
Secondary source:
International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1969. Opinion 864. Penaeid generic names (Crustacea, Decapoda): addition of twenty-eight to the Official List. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 25: 138-147.

Pérez Farfante, I. & Kensley, B. 1997. Penaeoid and sergestoid shrimps and prawns of the world. Keys and diagnoses for the families and genera. Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris [1936-1950] 175: 1-233 [56]

Introduction

The most recent papers dealing with the taxonomy of Australian species are those of Kensley et al. (1987) and Dall (2001), the latter providing a key to genera. Griffiths & Brandt (1983) made interesting ecological observations for benthesicymids in the Tasman Sea, and Dall (2001) discussed the zoogeography of the family.

Genetic analysis by Vereshchaka, Kulagin & Lunina (2021) provided insight into areas of taxonomic uncertainty within this family. Two subfamilies were erected; Benthesicyminae (benthic) and Gennadinae (benthic and pelagic). The genus Gennadas Bate, 1881, was found to be polyphyletic and new genera were established to accommodate its separation.

Diagnosis

Integument thin, soft, flexible. Rostrum short, not reaching beyond eyes, laterally compressed, dorsal rostral/postrostral teeth no more than three, usually two or less, ventrally unarmed. Carapace with branchiostegal spine; hepatic spine present or absent; postorbital and postantennal spines lacking; cervical and postcervical sulcus reaching middorsal line; branchiocardiac and hepatic sulci usually well defined. Abdominal somites variously carinate, occasionally ending in posterior spine. Telson bearing one to four pairs of lateral movable spines; apex usually truncate, sometimes acute. Eye with optic calathus bearing mesial tubercle; ocular scale and styliform projection lacking. Antennule with prosartema usually represented by tuft of setae; with two elongate filiform flagella. Second pleopod of males with appendix masculina and appendix interna, lacking distolateral projection. Third through fifth pleopods biramous. Exopods on first to third maxillipeds, present or absent on first to fifth pereiopods. Pleurobranchia present on somites IX to XIV; one arthrobranchia on somite VII, two on somites VIII to XIII; podobranchia on second and third maxillipeds and first to third pereiopods, but only on second maxilliped in Gennadas; epipod present on second maxilliped to fourth or fifth pereiopod. Petasma open, generally broadly lamellar, with flexible part of ventrolateral lobule attached to dorsolateral for much of, or for its entire length; ventral costa entirely attached. Thelycum open or sometimes closed; in latter case having shallow seminal receptacles formed by sternal invaginations between sternites XII and XIII at base of third pereiopods. (After Pérez Farfante & Kensley 1997).