Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

<I>Podocerus variegatus</I>, a non-Australian species.

Podocerus variegatus, a non-Australian species.

Museums

Regional Maps

Family PODOCERIDAE Leach, 1814

Introduction

Podocerid amphipods belong to the corophioid group, on the basis that they have a fleshy telson. Apparently most taxa have lost the glandular basis of pereopods 3 and 4. Laubitz (1983) revised the podocerid amphipods and recognised three subfamilies. A key to all genera can be found in Barnard & Karaman (1991).

 

Diagnosis

Head longer than deep; anteroventral margin weakly, moderately or strongly recessed and deeply or shallowly excavate; rostrum short, long or absent; eyes well developed (round or ovoid), obsolescent or absent. Body cylindrical or subcylindrical; smooth or processiferous and dorsally carinate; with sparse slender setae or without setae. Antenna 1 shorter than, subequal to, or longer than antenna 2; peduncular article 1 shorter than article 2; article 2 shorter than or subequal to article 3; article 3 longer than article 1; accessory flagellum present or absent; primary flagellum 5- or more articulate; callynophore absent. Antenna 2 medium length or long; flagellum shorter than peduncle; less than or more than 5-articulate. Mandible incisor dentate; lacinia mobilis present on both sides; molar fully triturating. Maxilla 1 inner plate strongly setose along medial margin, weakly setose apically or without setae. Maxilliped inner plates well developed; outer plates small. Coxae 1–4 longer than broad, as long as broad or broader than long, discontiguous, ventrally acuminate or not; coxa 1 anteroventrally acuminate or not. Gnathopod 1 sexually dimorphic or not; smaller (or weaker) than or subequal to gnathopod 2; simple or subchelate; coxa smaller, subequal to, or larger than coxa 2; carpus subequal to, or longer than propodus. Gnathopod 2 sexually dimorphic or not; simple or subchelate; coxa smaller than or subequal to but not hidden by coxa 3; ischium short; carpus short or long, shorter than, subequal to, or longer than propodus. Pereopods some, all or none prehensile; 3–4 with or without glandular basis. Pereopod 3 coxa broader than long; carpus shorter than, subequal to, or longer than propodus, not produced. Pereopod 4 coxa smaller than or subequal to coxa 3, without posteroventral lobe; carpus shorter than, subequal to, or longer than propodus, not produced. Pereopod 5 shorter than or subequal to pereopod 6; coxa smaller than, subequal to, or larger than coxa 4, without posterior lobe; basis linear, subrectangular, without posteroventral lobe; carpus linear. Pereopod 6 shorter than or subequal to pereopod 7; basis expanded, slightly expanded or linear. Pereopod 7 subequal to, or longer than pereopod 5; basis expanded, slightly expanded or linear; subrectangular. Urosome dorsoventrally flattened; urosomites 1–3 free or 1 and 2 free, urosomite 3 absent or 1 free, 2 and 3 coalesced; urosomite 1 much longer than urosomite 2. Uropods 1–3 radically dissimilar in structure and size. Uropods 1–2 apices of rami with robust setae. Uropod 1 peduncle with or without ventromedial spur. Uropod 2 peduncle with or without ventromedial spur. Uropod 3 peduncle short or vestigial; rami absent. Telson thickened dorsoventrally; entire; longer than broad, as long as broad or broader than long; dorsal and apical robust setae present or absent.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
05-Aug-2022 AMPHIPODA 14-Aug-2013 MODIFIED Dr Jim Lowry (AM)
05-Aug-2022 22-Nov-2012 MODIFIED
05-Aug-2022 19-Dec-2011 MODIFIED
05-Aug-2022 02-Jul-2010 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)