Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

<I>Bircenna ignea</I>

Bircenna ignea

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Family EOPHLIANTIDAE Sheard, 1936

Introduction

Eophliantidae are a family of six genera and 12 species known almost exclusively from cold and temperate waters of the Southern Hemisphere. Only two genera and three species are currently known from southern Australian waters, although Cylindryllioides mawsoni Nicholls, 1938, is very common at Macquarie Island. Morphological information and some habitat information can be found in Sheard (1936), Nicholls (1939) and J.L. Barnard (1972a, 1972b). Eophliantids are always found in association with algae and their cylindrical body shape suggests that they burrow into algae and probably feed on it. A key to all genera is available in Barnard & Karaman (1991).

 

Diagnosis

Head as long as deep or longer than deep; rostrum short or absent; eyes round or ovoid. Body cylindrical; smooth. Antenna 1 subequal to, or longer than antenna 2; peduncular article 1 shorter than or subequal to article 2; article 2 subequal to, or longer than article 3; article 3 subequal to, or longer than article 1; accessory flagellum absent; primary flagellum less than or more than 5-articulate; callynophore present or absent. Antenna 2 short; flagellum shorter than peduncle; less than or more than 5-articulate. Mandible incisor smooth; lacinia mobilis present on left side only; molar present or absent, non-triturating; palp present or absent. Maxilla 1 inner plate weakly setose apically; palp 1-articulate or absent. Maxilliped inner plates well developed; outer plates large. Coxae 1–4 broader than long, overlapping or discontiguous. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; subequal to gnathopod 2; subchelate or parachelate; coxa subequal to coxa 2; carpus subequal to, or longer than propodus. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; subchelate or parachelate; coxa subequal to but not hidden by coxa 3; ischium long; carpus short, subequal to, or longer than propodus. Pereopod 3 coxa well developed or vestigial, as long as 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 larger than coxa 4, without posterior lobe; basis expanded, subrectangular or subovate, with or without posteroventral lobe; carpus expanded or weakly expanded. Pereopod 6 subequal to pereopod 7; basis expanded. Pereopod 7 longer than pereopod 5; basis expanded, with broad posteroventral lobe. Urosomites 1–3 free or 1 free, 2 and 3 coalesced; urosomite 1 longer or much longer than urosomite 2. Uropods 1–2 apices of rami without robust setae. Uropod 3 peduncle short; rami absent. Telson weakly thickened dorsoventrally; deeply cleft or entire; dorsal and 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 Latreille, 1816 07-Jun-2018 MODIFIED Dr Shane Ahyong
05-Aug-2022 AMPHIPODA 06-Feb-2013 MOVED 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)