Family CORALLANIDAE Hansen, 1890

Arganthona rostrata

© Copyright from Bruce 1982.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Corallanidae Hansen, H.J. 1890. Cirolanidae et familiae nonnulae propinquae Musei Hauniensis. Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskabs Skrifter Naturvidenskab. Math. Afd 6: 237-426 [280].

  Type genus:

   Corallana Dana, 1853.

Introduction

Corallanidae is a small family of six genera and 84 species, primarily occurring in tropical and subtropical shallow waters (Delaney, 1989). Some species are symbionts of fishes feeding on fish mucus and fish blood while others are associated wholly or occasionally with sponges. The biology of many species is not known, though it is probable that some species of Lanocira Hansen 1890 feed on polychaetes. Most are probably benthic, although several are temporary epizoans or commensal micropredators of fish and decapod crustaceans. The family is confined to tropical and subtropical regions and may be separated from related families using keys in Bruce et al. (1982), Bruce (1985), or in the worldwide review of Delaney (1989). Six genera now comprise the Corallanidae, which has a complex nomenclatural history (Bruce 1982b; Bruce et al. 1982; Delaney 1989). Delaney (1989) provided keys to genera, a cladistic analysis, and discussion on biogeography and phylogeny. Australian taxa have been documented by Hale (1925, 1940) and Bruce (1982a, 1982b).

Diagnosis

Eyes well developed; dorsum often ornamented with setae, spines, tubercles, or carinae; head may have well developed anteriorly produced rostrum (Argathona, Lanocira); sexual dimorphism in ornamentation common. Antennula peduncle 2- or 3-articulate, basal article sometimes expanded (Corallana, Tachaea). Antenna peduncle 1–3 short, articles 4–5 elongate. Frontal lamina and clypeus always flat. Mandibular always narrow, less than 0.4 basal width, incisor variously truncate, bidentate, tridentate or falcate; lacinia mobilis absent, molar process reduced occasionally absent. Maxillula lateral lobe with 1–2 large falcate apical spines, with 0–5 smaller subapical (accessory) spines in some genera; mesial lobe with simple, sparsely setose. Maxilla uniramous, minute, 1–3-articulate; apex morphology various, devoid of robust setae, sparsely setose. Maxilliped without endite; palp slender, 5-articulate, with occasional partial fusion of article, without apical acute or hooked robust setae; various maxilliped articles elongate in different genera.

General References

Bruce, N.L. 1982a. Species of Argathona Stebbing, 1905 (Isopoda, Corrallanidae) new to Australia, with description of two new species. Crustaceana 42: 12-25

Bruce, N.L. 1982b. On the genus Corallana Dana, 1852 (Isopoda, Corallanidae) with description of a new species from Western Australia. Crustaceana 42: 241-249

Bruce, N.L. 1985. Calyptolana hancocki, a new genus and species of marine isopod (Cirolanidae) from Aruba, Netherlands Antilles, with a synopsis of Cirolanidae known from the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Journal of Crustacean Biology 5: 707-716

Bruce, N.L., Brusca, R.C. & Delaney, P.M. 1982. The status of the isopod families Corallanidae Hansen, 1890, and Excorallanidae Stebbing, 1904 (Flabellifera). Journal of Crustacean Biology 2: 464-468

Delaney, P.M. 1989. Phylogeny and biogeography of the marine isopod family Corallanidae (Crustacea, Isopoda, Flabellifera). Contributions in Science. Los Angeles 409: 1-75

Hale, H.M. 1925. Review of Australian isopods of the cymothoid group. Pt I. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 49: 128-185

Hale, H.M. 1940. Report on the cymothoid Isopoda obtained by F.I.S. "Endeavour" on the coasts of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 64: 288-304

History of changes