Family PARASCELIDAE Bovallius, 1887

Thyropus similis

© Copyright from Zeidler 1998: fig. 67.

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Regional Maps

Introduction

Parascelids are similar to platyscelids. They differ most noticeably in the structure of the mouthpart bundle which is a pointed cone in parascelids. Four gerera are currently recognised, three of which occur in Australian waters (Zeidler 1998). Bowman & Gruner (1973) and Vinogradov et al. (1982) provide keys to the world genera.

Diagnosis

Head deeper than long; anteroventral margin rounded; eyes occupying most of lateral surface of head. Body conglobate. Antenna 1 shorter than antenna 2; peduncle 3-articulate; peduncular article 1 longer than article 2; article 2 subequal to article 3; calceoli absent. Mouthparts reduced. Mandible molar absent; palp present or absent. Maxilla 1 inner plate absent; palp absent. Gnathopod 1 simple or carpochelate; carpus shorter than, subequal to, or longer than propodus; dactylus minute. Gnathopod 2 dactylus minute. Pereopod 3 carpus subequal to propodus. Pereopod 5 shorter than pereopod 6; basis without posteroventral lobe; carpus linear. Pereopod 6 longer than pereopod 7; basis expanded. Pereopod 7 with 7 articles; basis expanded. Urosomite 3 fused with telson. Uropod 2 inner ramus longer than outer ramus. Uropod 3 not sexually dimorphic; biramous or uniramous.

General References

Bovallius, C. 1887. Systematical list of the Amphipoda Hyperiidea. Bihang till Kungliga Svenska Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar 11(16): 1-50

Bowman, T.E. & Gruner, H.E. 1973. The families and genera of Hyperiidea (Crustacea: Amphipoda). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 146: 1-64

Vinogradov, M.E., Volkov, A.F. & Semenova, T.N. 1982. Amphipoda — Hyperiidea of the World Ocean. Nauka Leningrad U.S.S.R. Opred. po Faune S.S.S.R 132: 1-491 [in Russian]

Zeidler, W. 1998. Pelagic amphipods (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea) collected from eastern and south-eastern Australian waters by the CSIRO vessel "Warreen" during the years 1938–1941. Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) Monograph Series 4: 1-143

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