Family NEONIPHARGIDAE Bousfield, 1977

Neocrypta robinae

© Copyright from Bradbury & Williams 1997: fig. 10.

Museums

Regional Maps

Introduction

The Neoniphargidae are a Southern Hemisphere group of freshwater crangonyctoid amphipods originally established by Bousfield (1977). Williams & Barnard (1988) disagreed with Bousfield's original family concept, excluding, among others, the Australian genera Gininiphargus Karaman & Barnard, Perthia Straskraba and Protocrangonyx Nicholls, and including Wesniphargus Williams & Barnard and Yulia Williams & Barnard. Bradbury & Williams (1997) redefined the Neoniphargidae and Bradbury & Williams (1999) provided a key to the Australian species.

Diagnosis

Head exposed; as long as deep or deeper than long; anteroventral margin weakly recessed or rounded; anteroventral corner rounded; rostrum short; eyes well developed (reniform), obsolescent or absent. Body laterally compressed; smooth; with sparse slender setae, with sparse slender or robust dorsal setae on urosome or without setae. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2; peduncle with many or sparse robust or slender setae; peduncular article 1 shorter or longer than article 2; article 2 longer than article 3; article 3 shorter than article 1; accessory flagellum present; primary flagellum 5- or more articulate; callynophore absent. Antenna 2 short; flagellum shorter than peduncle; 5- or more articulate; calceoli present or absent. Mandible incisor dentate; lacinia mobilis present on both sides; molar fully triturating. Maxilla 1 inner plate weakly setose apically. Maxilliped inner plates well developed; outer plates small; palp article 3 with rugosities. Pereonites with sternal gills. Coxae 1–4 longer than broad or broader than long, overlapping. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; subequal to gnathopod 2; subchelate; coxa smaller than coxa 2; carpus/propodus cantilevered on narrow hinge or not; carpus shorter than or subequal to propodus, slightly or not produced along posterior margin of propodus. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; subchelate; coxa smaller than or subequal to but not hidden by coxa 3; ischium short; carpus short, shorter than propodus, 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 or with small posterior lobe; carpus shorter than or subequal to propodus, not produced. Pereopod 5 shorter than or subequal to pereopod 6; coxa smaller than coxa 4; basis expanded, subrectangular or subovate, with posteroventral lobe; carpus linear; dactylus with a few subterminal setae. Pereopod 6 longer than pereopod 7; basis expanded; dactylus with a few subterminal setae. Pereopod 7 subequal to, or longer than pereopod 5; basis expanded, subovate. Pleonites 1–3 with or without slender or robust dorsal setae. Epimeron 2 setose or without setae. Urosomite 1 longer than urosomite 2. Uropods 1–2 apices of rami with robust setae. Uropod 3 biramous; peduncle short or long; rami styliform; outer ramus longer than peduncle; inner ramus apically setose. Telson laminar; deeply, moderately or weakly cleft or notched; longer than broad, as long as broad or broader than long; dorsal robust setae absent; apical robust setae present.

General References

Bousfield, E.L. 1977. A new look at the systematics of gammaroidean Amphipoda of the world. Crustaceana Suppl. 4: 282-316

Bradbury, J.H. & Williams, W.D. 1997. The amphipod (Crustacea) stygofauna of Australia: description of new taxa (Melitidae, Neoniphargidae, Paramelitidae) and a synopsis of known species. Records of the Australian Museum 49: 249-341

Bradbury, J.H. & Williams, W.D. 1999. Key to and checklist of the inland aquatic amphipods of Australia. Technical Reports of the Australian Museum 14: 1-21

Williams, W.D. & Barnard, J.L. 1988. The taxonomy of crangonyctoid Amphipoda (Crustacea) from Australian fresh waters: foundation studies. Records of the Australian Museum, Supplement 10: 1-180

History of changes