Family PSEUDOSQUILLIDAE Manning, 1977

Museums

Regional Maps

• Pseudosquillidae Manning, R.B. 1977. A monograph of the West African stomatopod Crustacea. Atlantide Report 12: 25-181 [95].

  Type genus:

   Pseudosquilla Dana, 1852.

Introduction

This family includes four genera of 'spearers', Pseudosquilla, Pseudosquillisma, Pseudosquillanaand Raoulserenea, all recorded from Australia. Pseudosquillids occupy a diverse range of habitats, from rocky and coral reefs to sand or mudflats and seagrass beds. Keys to all genera and species of the Pseudosquillidae are provided by Ahyong (2001).

Diagnosis

Cornea with six rows of rectangular ommatidia in the midband. Protopod of antenna with articulated, ventrally carinate plate dorsally. Third and fourth maxillipeds with propodi ovate, not ribbed or beaded ventrally; body subcylindrical, articulation compact. Mandibular palp 3-segmented. Maxillipeds 1 to 5 with an epipod. Raptorial claw with ischiomeral articulation terminal; propodus with three movable spines proximally, becoming sparsely pectinate distally; dactylus slender with three teeth, uninflated basally. Abdominal somite 6 articulating with telson. Telson with distinct, slender, median carina; submedian denticles absent in adults; submedian teeth with movable apices. Articulation of uropodal exopod segments terminal; distal spines on outer margin of uropodal exopod slender, straight, or slightly curved, but not strongly recurved anteriorly.

General References

Ahyong, S.T. 2001. Revision of the Australian Stomatopod Crustacea. Records of the Australian Museum Suppl. 26: 1-326

History of changes