Family NIHOTUNGIDAE J.L. Barnard, 1972

Nihotunga iluka

© Copyright from Barnard 1972a: fig. 166.

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Regional Maps

Introduction

The Nihotungidae are a monotypic family established by J.L. Barnard (1972a) for a species living in south-western Australia. An additional species has been reported from New Zealand (J.L. Barnard 1972b) and Barnard & Karaman (1991) reported an undescribed species from Guam. Nihotungids occur in shallow water among algae.

Diagnosis

Head deeper than long; rostrum absent; eyes round or ovoid. Body laterally compressed or subglobular; smooth. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2; peduncular article 1 longer than article 2; article 2 longer than article 3; article 3 shorter than article 1; accessory flagellum absent; primary flagellum less than 5-articulate; callynophore absent. Antenna 2 short; flagellum shorter than peduncle; less than 5-articulate. Mandible incisor smooth; lacinia mobilis present on both sides; molar absent. Maxilla 1 inner plate weakly setose apically; palp 1-articulate. Maxilliped inner plates well developed; outer plates very large. Coxae 1–3 longer than broad, overlapping, successively smaller, coxa 1 larger than 2 and 3; coxa 4 immensely broadened. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; smaller (or weaker) than gnathopod 2; simple; coxa larger than coxa 2; carpus subequal to propodus. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; simple; coxa larger than coxa 3; ischium long; carpus long, subequal to, or longer than propodus. Pereopod 3 coxa longer than broad or as long as broad; carpus shorter than propodus, not produced. Pereopod 4 coxa larger than coxa 3, with well-developed posteroventral lobe; carpus shorter than propodus, not produced. Pereopod 5 subequal to pereopod 6; coxa smaller than coxa 4, without posterior lobe; basis linear, subrectangular, without posteroventral lobe; carpus linear. Pereopod 6 subequal to pereopod 7; basis linear. Pereopod 7 subequal to pereopod 5; basis expanded. Uropods 1–2 apices of rami without robust setae. Uropod 3 uniramous; peduncle short; ramus shorter than peduncle. Telson laminar; entire; longer than broad; dorsal robust setae absent; apical robust setae present.

General References

Barnard, J.L. 1972a. Gammaridean Amphipoda of Australia, Part I. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 103: i-vi 1-333

Barnard, J.L. 1972b. The marine fauna of New Zealand: Algae-living littoral Gammaridea (Crustacea Amphipoda). Memoirs of the New Zealand Oceanographic Institute 62: 1-216

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

History of changes