Family SCOPELOCHEIRIDAE Lowry & Stoddart, 1997

Aroui hamatopodus

© Copyright from Lowry & Stoddart 1989: fig. 2.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Scopelocheiridae Lowry, J.K. & Stoddart, H.E. 1997. Amphipoda Crustacea IV. Families Aristiidae, Cyphocarididae, Endevouridae, Lysianassidae, Scopelocheiridae, Uristidae. Memoirs of the Hourglass Cruises 10(1): 1-148 [122].

  Type genus:

   Scopelocheirus Bate, 1857.

Introduction

The family Scopelocheiridae was established by Lowry & Stoddart (1997) for a group of pelagic and demersal lysianassoid genera which all have modified first gnathopods. Species in genera such as Aroui and Scopelocheirus are known scavengers. Some evidence suggests that species of Aroui scavenge on spatangoid echinoids (Lowry & Stoddart 1989).

Diagnosis

Head as long as deep or longer than deep; rostrum short or absent; eyes well developed (ovoid, reniform or subrectangular), obsolescent or absent. Body laterally compressed; smooth. Antenna 1 shorter than or subequal to antenna 2; peduncular article 1 longer than article 2; article 2 longer than article 3; article 3 shorter than article 1; primary flagellum less than or more than 5-articulate; callynophore present or absent. Antenna 2 short or medium length; flagellum shorter or longer than peduncle; less than or more than 5-articulate; calceoli present or absent. Mandible incisor smooth; lacinia mobilis present on left side only; molar triturating, weakly triturating, a smooth, nonsetose flap or absent. Maxilla 1 inner plate strongly setose along medial margin or weakly setose apically. Maxilliped inner plates well developed; outer plates small. Coxae 1–4 longer than broad, overlapping. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; smaller (or weaker) than or subequal to gnathopod 2; simple; coxa smaller than or subequal to coxa 2; carpus shorter than, subequal to or longer than propodus; dactylus small or minute, strongly or weakly covered in setae. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; subchelate or chelate; coxa subequal to but not hidden by coxa 3; ischium long; carpus long, subequal to, or longer than propodus; dactylus well developed or minute. Pereopod 3 coxa longer than broad; carpus shorter than propodus, produced anteriorly or not. Pereopod 4 coxa larger than coxa 3, with well-developed posteroventral lobe; carpus shorter than propodus, produced anteriorly or not. Pereopod 5 subequal to pereopod 6; coxa smaller than coxa 4, posterior lobe weak or absent; basis expanded, slightly expanded or linear; subovate, with posteroventral lobe; carpus linear. Pereopod 6 subequal to pereopod 7; basis expanded, slightly expanded or linear. Pereopod 7 subequal to, or longer than pereopod 5; basis expanded or linear, with broad posteroventral lobe or subrectangular. Epimeron 2 setose or without setae. Urosomite 1 much longer than urosomite 2. Uropods 1–2 apices of rami without robust setae. Uropod 3 biramous; peduncle short; rami lanceolate; outer ramus longer than peduncle; inner ramus not apically setose. Telson laminar; deeply or moderately cleft; longer than broad; dorsal robust setae present or absent; apical robust setae present.

General References

Kilgallen, N.M. & Lowry, J.K. 2015. A review of the scopelocheirid amphipods (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Lysianassoidea), with the description of new taxa from Australian waters. Zoosystematics and Evolution 91(1): 1–43 (new diagnosis, ID keys)

Lowry, J.K. & Stoddart, H.E. 1989. The scopelocheirid genus Aroui (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Lysianassoidea) with notes on the association between scopelocheirid amphipods, cassid gastropods and spatangoid echinoids. Records of the Australian Museum 41: 111-120

Lowry, J.K. & Stoddart, H.E. 1997. Amphipoda Crustacea IV. Families Aristiidae, Cyphocarididae, Endevouridae, Lysianassidae, Scopelocheiridae, Uristidae. Memoirs of the Hourglass Cruises 10(1): 1-148

History of changes