Family SEROLIDAE Dana, 1852

Acutiserolis cidaris

© Copyright from Poore & Brandt 1997.

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Regional Maps

• Serolidae Dana, J.D. 1852. On the classification of the Crustacea Choristopoda or Tetradecapoda. American Journal of Science and Arts 2 14(41): 297-316 [305].

  Type genus:

   Serolis Leach, 1818.

Introduction

Serolids are flattened benthic isopods with greatest diversity in the Southern Hemisphere but extending into equatorial regions in deep water (Brandt, 1988, 1991; Wägele, 1994). Serolids are distinguished from other sphaeromatideans by having the peduncles of pleopods 1–3 directed laterally from midventral sternites and often triangular or tapering. Many species, especially from deep water, have spectacular acute extensions of the coxal plates and pleonal epimera. Two foundation studies (Nordenstam, 1933; Sheppard, 1933) reviewed the anatomy and taxonomy of the family, then comprising one genus. Sheppard (1933) provided a key to the 37 species then known.

Serolids are widespread in bays, on the shelf and in the deep sea especially in the Southern Hemisphere. Most of the 110 species known were described in the genus Serolis Leach, but recent revisions placed all the Australian species in other genera (Poore 1987; Brandt 1988; Poore & Storey 2009). Keys to Australian species have been provided by Harrison & Poore (1984) and Poore (1987). The Australian fauna comprises many more species than are presently described with several species known from tropical shelves.

Diagnosis

Body more or less oval, flat, margin defined by flattened dorsal coxal plates and pleonal epimera 2, 3; head medially fused with pereonite 1; pereonite 7 tergite not visible dorsally. Coxal dorsal plates 2–4 or more delimited from tergite by suture, 5 and 6 weakly so if at all, or 1–7 not delimited from tergite by suture (rare); coxal plate 7 absent. Pleon with pleonite 1 visible dorsally, without epimera; pleonites 2 and 3 free, with epimera, sometimes prominent; pleonal sternites 1–3 present. Pleotelson usually more or less triangular or semicircular or pentagonal, uropods usually attached anterolaterally. Antennular and antennal peduncles flattened, not part of margin of body. Mandibular incisor with obsolete teeth; molar process absent. Maxillula mesial endite minute, with 1 short simple seta; lateral endite usually with 11 large setae. Maxilla with prominent mesial endite with plumose setae; second and lateral endites with 2 or 3 long serrate setae (rarely lateral endite absent). Maxillipedal palp of 3 articles, fused articles 2–3 cordiform, or of 1 short and 1 oval article (rare). Pereopod 1 subchelate, propodus oval, palm convex, with row of close-set robust setae. Pereopod 2 sexually dimorphic, subchelate in male. Pleopods 1–3 peduncles narrow, tapering, directed laterally, rami distal and subdistal. Uropods attached anterolaterally to pleotelson, or on posterior margin of pleotelson; endopod fused to peduncle (laminar, sometimes reduced or absent), exopod usually laminar (sometimes absent or styliform).

General References

Brandt, A. 1988. Theses Zoologicae. Antarctic Serolidae and Cirolanidae (Crustacea: Isopoda). New genera, new species, and redescription. Königstein : Koeltz Scientific Books Vol. 10 143 pp. [Date published 12/31/1988]

Brandt, A. 1991. Zur Besiedlungsgeschichte des antanktischen Schelfes am Beispiel der Isopoda (Crustacea, Malcostraca). Berichte zur Polarforschung 98: 1-240

Harrison, K. & Poore, G.C.B. 1984. Serolis (Crustacea, Isopoda, Serolidae) from Australia with a new species from Victoria. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 45: 13-31

Nordenstam, A. 1933. Marine Isopoda of the families Serolidae, Idotheidae, Pseudidotheidae, Arcturidae, Parasellidae and Stenetriidae mainly from the South Atlantic. Further Zoological Results of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition, 1901-1903 3: 1-284

Poore, G.C.B. 1987. Serolina, a new genus for Serolis minuta Beddard (Crustacea: Isopoda: Serolidae) with descriptions of eight new species from Australia. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 48: 141-189

Poore, G.C.B. & Storey, M.J. 2009. Brucerolis gen. n., and Acutiserolis Brandt, 1988, deep-water southern genera of isopods (Crustacea, Isopoda, Serolidae). pp. 143–160 in Bruce, N. (Ed). Advances in the taxonomy and biogeography of Crustacea in the Southern Hemisphere. ZooKeys 18

Sheppard, E.M. 1933. Isopoda Crustacea Part I. The family Serolidae. Discovery Reports 7: 253-362 [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5578032]

Storey, M.J. & Poore, G.C.B. 2009. New species of Brucerolis (Crustacea: Isopoda: Serolidae) from seas around New Zealand and Australia. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 66: 147-173

Wägele, J.W. 1994. Notes on Antarctic and South American Serolidae (Crustacea, Isopoda) with remarks on the phylogenetic biogeography and a description of new genera. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Ökologie und Geographie der Tiere 121: 3-69

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