Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

<I>Corophium acherusicum</I>

Corophium acherusicum

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Family COROPHIIDAE Leach, 1814

Introduction

In Barnard & Karman (1991), the Corophiidae was a huge family subsuming the families Aoridae, Isaeidae, Neomegamphopidae, Photidae and the Ischroceridae. Myers & Lowry (2003) completely revised the concept of Corophiidae and re-established these family-level groups, and incorporated the Siphonoecetinae in the Ischyroceridae. In this catalogue, the classification of Myers & Lowry (2003) is used. In this concept, the corophiids form a group of 25 genera and about 150 species. In Australia corophiids are represented by eight genera and 12 species. They occur in the sea and occasionally in freshwater, but often in brackish water. They are tube builders living on other invertebrates such as sponges and ascidians and hard substrates such as seagrasses, or burrowing in sand and mud bottoms (Crawford 1937) where they can be extremely abundant.

It is likely that work in this group, particularly in estuarine habitats, will reveal more species that are currently known.

 

Diagnosis

Head as long as deep or longer than deep; anteroventral margin moderately or strongly recessed and deeply excavate; rostrum short or moderate; eyes round or ovoid. Body laterally compressed, subcylindrical or cylindrical; smooth. Antenna 1 subequal to antenna 2; peduncle with sparse or many robust or slender setae; peduncular article 1 shorter than, subequal to, or longer than article 2; article 2 longer than article 3; article 3 shorter than article 1; accessory flagellum absent; primary flagellum 5- or more articulate; callynophore absent. Antenna 2 medium length; peduncle with robust or slender setae; article 4 with large posterodistal hook-like process; flagellum shorter than peduncle; less than or more than 5-articulate. Mandible incisor dentate; lacinia mobilis present on both sides; molar fully triturating. Maxilla 1 inner plate weakly setose apically or without setae. Maxilliped inner plates well developed; outer plates large or small. Coxae 1–4 longer than broad, as long as broad or broader than long, overlapping or discontiguous; coxa 1 anteroventrally acuminate or not. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; smaller (or weaker) than or subequal to gnathopod 2; subchelate; coxa subequal to, or larger than coxa 2; carpus longer than propodus. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; simple or subchelate; coxa subequal to but not hidden by coxa 3; ischium short; merus enlarged, heavily setose, fused against posterior margin of carpus or enlarged, heavily setose, strongly produced away from carpus; carpus short or long, shorter than, subequal to, or longer than propodus; dactylus well developed or absent. Pereopods heteropodous (3–4 directed posteriorly, 5–7 directed anteriorly or 3–6 directed posteriorly, 7 directed anteriorly); 3–4 with glandular basis. Pereopod 3 coxa longer than broad or broader than long; carpus shorter than propodus, not produced. Pereopod 4 coxa subequal to coxa 3, without posteroventral lobe; carpus shorter than propodus, not produced. Pereopod 5 shorter than pereopod 6; coxa subequal to coxa 4, with posterodorsal lobe or without posterior lobe; basis expanded, slightly expanded or linear, subrectangular or subquadrate, without posteroventral lobe; carpus weakly expanded. Pereopod 6 shorter than or subequal to pereopod 7; basis expanded or slightly expanded. Pereopod 7 longer than pereopod 5; similar or different in structure to pereopod 6; basis expanded or slightly expanded, subrectangular, subovate or subquadrate, with or without dense long slender setae. Epimeron 2 setose or without setae. Urosome dorsoventrally flattened or not; urosomites 1–3 free or 1 and 2 coalesced, 3 free or 1–3 coalesced; urosomite 1 longer than urosomite 2. Uropods 1–2 apices of rami with robust setae. Uropod 1 peduncle with or without ventromedial spur. Uropod 3 biramous or uniramous; peduncle short; rami lanceolate or vestigial; outer ramus shorter than, subequal to, or longer than peduncle; inner ramus apically setose. Telson thickened dorsoventrally; entire; longer than broad, as long as broad or broader than long; dorsal robust setae present or absent; apical robust setae absent.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
05-Aug-2022 AMPHIPODA 29-Apr-2013 MODIFIED Dr Jim Lowry (AM)
05-Aug-2022 22-Nov-2012 MODIFIED
05-Aug-2022 19-Dec-2011 MODIFIED
05-Aug-2022 02-Jul-2010 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)