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Family GONODACTYLIDAE Giesbrecht, 1910


Compiler and date details

May 2012 - Peter Davie, Queensland Museum, Brisbane

 

Introduction

This family was treated most recently by Ahyong (2001), who provided keys for identification. All gonodactylids are 'smashers'. They are most abundant in the tropics on hard substrates such as coral and rocky reefs, and are the most common stomatopods on coral reefs.

Species of most gonodactylid genera (except Neogonodactylus) occur exclusively in the Indo-West Pacific. Species of Neogonodactylus occur only in the eastern Pacific and western Atlantic, and no gonodactylids are known from the eastern Atlantic. Four genera are recognised in Australian waters.

 

Diagnosis

Cornea with six rows of rectangular ommatidia in the midband. Protopod of antenna with fixed, anteriorly directed spine dorsally. Third and fourth maxillipeds with propodi ovate, not ribbed or beaded ventrally; body subcylindrical, articulation compact. Raptorial claw with ischiomeral articulation subterminal, dactylus without teeth on inner margin, outer margin inflated basally into blunt heel. Sixth abdominal somite articulating with telson. Telson with distinct median carina; submedian teeth with movable apices; at most with three `intermediate' denticles, arising marginally. Uropodal protopod with two primary spines; articulation of exopod segments subterminal. Distal spines on outer margin of uropodal exopod slender, straight, or slightly curved, not strongly recurved anteriorly.

 

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)
28-Sep-2017 STOMATOPODA Latreille, 1817 25-Jul-2017 MODIFIED Dr Shane Ahyong
30-May-2012 30-May-2012 MOVED
10-May-2012 10-May-2012 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)