Family LILJEBORGIIDAE Stebbing, 1899

Liljeborgia brevicornis, a non-Australian species

© Copyright from Barnard & Karaman 1991: fig. 85.

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Introduction

Liljeborgiid amphipods are a cosmopolitan group of five genera and about 78 species, almost all in the genera Liljeborgia and Listriella. According to Vader (1996) little is known about their life-styles, but many species occur in association with other invertebrates such as polychaetes, crustaceans and holothuroids, and others are benthic epifaunal. Vader (1996) documented the relationship between the Australian species Liljeborgia aequabilis and its hermit crab host. A key to genera is provided in Barnard & Karaman (1991).

Diagnosis

Head as long as deep or longer than deep; rostrum short or absent; eyes well developed (round, ovoid, reniform or subrectangular), obsolescent or absent. Body laterally compressed; smooth. Antenna 1 shorter than or subequal to antenna 2; peduncular article 1 longer than article 2; article 2 longer than article 3; article 3 shorter than article 1; primary flagellum 5- or more articulate; callynophore present or absent. Antenna 2 short or medium length; flagellum shorter than peduncle; less than or more than 5-articulate. Mandible incisor dentate or minutely serrate; lacinia mobilis present on both sides; molar present or absent, non-triturating, a smooth setose protuberance. Maxilla 1 inner plate weakly setose apically. Maxilliped inner plates well developed or reduced; outer plates small or vestigial. Coxae 1–4 longer than broad, overlapping. Gnathopod 1 sexually dimorphic; subequal to, or larger (or stouter) than gnathopod 2; carpochelate or subchelate; coxa larger than coxa 2; carpus shorter than propodus, strongly, slightly or not produced along posterior margin of propodus. Gnathopod 2 sexually dimorphic or not; carpochelate or subchelate; coxa subequal to but not hidden by coxa 3; ischium short; carpus short, shorter than propodus, strongly, slightly or not produced along posterior margin of propodus. Pereopod 3 coxa longer than broad; carpus shorter than or subequal to propodus, not produced. Pereopod 4 coxa larger than coxa 3, with well-developed posteroventral lobe; carpus subequal to propodus, not produced. Pereopod 5 shorter than pereopod 6; coxa smaller than coxa 4, without posterior lobe; basis expanded, subrectangular, with posteroventral lobe; carpus linear. Pereopod 6 shorter than or subequal to pereopod 7; basis expanded. Pereopod 7 longer than pereopod 5; basis expanded. Urosomite 1 subequal to, or longer than urosomite 2; urosomite 1 carinate or urosomites not carinate or urosomite 3 carinate. Uropods 1–2 apices of rami without robust setae. Uropod 1 peduncle with ventromedial spur. Uropod 2 peduncle with ventromedial spur. Uropod 3 biramous; peduncle short; rami lanceolate; outer ramus subequal to, or longer than peduncle; inner ramus not apically setose. Telson laminar; deeply or moderately cleft; longer than broad; dorsal robust setae absent; apical robust setae present.

General References

Barnard, J.L. & Karaman, G.S. 1991. The families and genera of marine gammaridean Amphipoda (except marine gammaroids). Records of the Australian Museum, Supplement 13: 1-866

Stebbing, T.R.R. 1899. Revision of Amphipoda (continued). Annals and Magazine of Natural History 7 4: 205-211

Vader, W. 1996. Liljeborgia species (Amphipoda, Liljeborgiidae) as associates of hermit crabs. Polskie Archiwum Hydrobiologii 42(4): 517-525

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