Family PARAMUNNIDAE Vanhöffen, 1914

Abyssianira bathyalis

© Copyright from Just 1990.

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Regional Maps

• Paramunnidae Vanhöffen, E. 1914. Die Isopoden der Deutschen Südpolar-Expedition 1901–1903. Deutsche Südpolar Expedition 1901–1903 15: 449-598 [571].

  Type genus:

   Paramunna G.O. Sars, 1866.
• Abyssianiridae Menzies, R.J. 1956. New abyssal tropical Atlantic isopods with observations on their biology. American Museum Novitates 1798: 1-16 [12] [subjective synonym].

  Type genus:

   Abyssianira Menzies, 1956.
• Pleurogoniini Nordenstam, A. 1933. Marine Isopoda of the families Serolidae, Idotheidae, Pseudidotheidae, Arcturidae, Parasellidae and Stenetriidae mainly from the South Atlantic. Further Zoological Results of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition, 1901-1903 3: 1-284 [199] [subjective synonym].

  Type genus:

   Pleurogonium G.O. Sars, 1872.

Introduction

The Paramunnidae is one of the largest family in the suborder Asellota, comprising 185 species in 44 genera, all of which are tiny (maximum length 0.6 to 3 mm) benthic dwellers known worldwide from shallow tidal to abyssal depths (Just, 2009a, 2009b; Just & Wilson, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2021). Most genera are endemic to the Southern Hemisphere. For example, in the Ross Sea, paramunnids were reported to be the most abundant and most frequently collected isopod family (Choudhury & Brandt, 2007). Just,

Paramunnids were included in Munnidae by Wolff (1962) who provided a key to 11 genera. Wilson (1980) treated paramunnids as a separated family that he called Pleurogoniidae Nordenstam, 1933, including 11 genera. Just (1990) synonymised Abyssianiridae Menzies, 1956 with Paramunnidae. Wilson (1980) recognised suprageneric relationships within three clusters. Males often differ from females, notably in having swollen shoulders on pereonite 1.

Diagnosis

Body broad, ovate, often with lateral plates. Pleon of 1 free pleonite plus pleotelson. Anus covered by pleopodal operculum. Eyes on lateral process (if present). Pereopod 1 prehensile; pereopods 2–7 ambulatory. Uropod inserting posterodorsally, minute, without peduncle.

General References

Just, J. 1990. Abyssianiridae, a synonym of Paramunnidae (Crustacea: Isopoda: Asellota) with two new species of Abyssianira from south-eastern Australia. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 50: 403-416

Just, J. 2009a. Compoceration garyi, a new genus and species of Paramunnidae (Crustacea, Isopoda, Asellota), from south-eastern Australia. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 66: 81-84

Just, J. 2009b. Pentaceration, an unusual new genus of Paramunnidae from Australia (Isopoda, Asellota). Zootaxa 2134: 36-48

Just, J. & Wilson, G.D.F. 2004. Revision of the Paramunna complex (Isopoda : Asellota : Paramunnidae). Invertebrate Systematics 18: 377-466

Just, J. & Wilson, G.D.F. 2006. Revision of Southern Hemisphere Austonanus Hodgson, 1910, with two new genera and five new species of Paramunnidae (Crustacea: Isopoda: Asellota). Zootaxa 1111: 21-58

Just, J. & Wilson, G.D.F. 2007. Revision of Austrosignum Hodgson and Munnogonium George & Strömberg (Paramunnidae) with descriptions of eight new genera and two new species, (Crustacea: Isopoda: Asellota). Zootaxa 1515: 1-29

Just, J. & Wilson, G.D.F. 2021. Redescriptions and new species in the ‘Austrosignum–Munnogonium’ complex sensu Just & Wilson (2007), mainly from the Southern Hemisphere (Crustacea: Isopoda: Paramunnidae). Zootaxa 4952(3): 401–447 [Date published 12/04/2021]

Wilson, G.D.F. 1980. New insights into the colonization of the deep-sea: systematics and zoogeography of the Munnidae and the Pleurogoniidae comb. nov. (Isopoda: Janiroidea). Journal of Natural History 14: 215-236

Wolff, T. 1962. The systematics and biology of bathyal and abyssal Isopoda Asellota. Galathea Report 6: 1-320, pls I-XIV

History of changes