Family STREPTOCEPHALIDAE

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Introduction

The Streptocephalidae are a monogeneric family of about 60 species found throughout the world. They are distinguished from all other anostracans, by the male having a hand-like cheliform process on the basal segment of the second antenna. The first Australian species was described by Sars in 1896, but has scarcely been seen since, certainly not since 1941 (Linder 1941) This, and the lack of other records, resulted in most authors discounting the presence of this genus in Australa (e.g. Geddes 1983; Williams 1981). However, it occurs widely, but uncommonly, in northern Australia, and because, typically, males are absent, species are indeterminate (Timms 2004). The only recent collection with males was of a new species, Streptocehalus queenslandicus (Herbert & Timms 2000).

General References

Geddes, M.C. 1983. Biogeography and ecology of Australian Anostraca (Crustacea: Branchiopoda). Memoirs of the Australian Museum 18: 155-163

Herbert, B. & Timms, B.V. 2000. A new species of Streptocephalus (Parastreptocephalus) (Crustacea: Anostraca: Streptocephalidae) from North Queensland, Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 45: 385-390

Linder, F. 1941. Contributions to the morphology and taxonomy of the Branchiopoda Anostraca. Zoologiska Bidrag Från Uppsala 20: 101-303

Williams, W.D. 1981. The Crustacea of Australian inland waters. pp. 1101-1138 in Keast, A. (ed.). Ecological Biogeography of Australia. The Hague : Dr. W. Junk.

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