Family PHYSETOCARIDIDAE Chace, 1940

Museums

Regional Maps

• Physetocaridae Chace, F.A., Jr 1940. The bathypelagic Caridean Crustacea. Plankton of the Bermuda Oceanographic Expeditions. 9. Zoologica (New York) 25: 117-209 [196] [emended to Physetocarididae by Holthuis, L.B. 1955. The recent genera of the caridean and stenopodidean shrimps (Class Crustacea, Order Decapoda, Supersection Natantia) with keys for their determination. Zoologische Verhandelingen 26: 1–157 (128)].

  Secondary source:

   Holthuis, L.B. 1955. The recent genera of the caridean and stenopodidean shrimps (Class Crustacea, Order Decapoda, Supersection Natantia) with keys for their determination. Zoologische Verhandelingen (Leiden) 26: 1-157.

Introduction

This peculiar monotypic family of pelagic shrimps is immediately recognisable by the broad triangular rostrum that is not clearly distinct from the rest of the carapace. The single species is found in all oceans.

Diagnosis

Carapace merging anteriorly into inflated, indiscrete rostrum. Pereiopods without exopods. First pereiopod simple, without chela. Second pair of pereiopods with carpus subdivided into four articles; fixed finger of chela curving subrectangularly around short, broad movable finger. First maxilliped with exopod not terminating distally in broad, semidetached lobe; caridean lobe of exopod not prominent. Second maxilliped with exopod; segments arranged in usual serial manner; terminal segment not attached to slender, sickle-shaped extension from preceding segment; endopod composed of only three distinct, serial segments. Third maxilliped without exopod. Mandible with molar process only, without incisor process or palp. Second maxilla with vestigial palp; endite simple, not bilobate. (Derived from Chace 1992).

General References

Chace, F.A., Jr 1992. On the classification of the Caridea. Crustaceana 63(1): 70-80

History of changes