Family ATYIDAE De Haan, 1849

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Family ATYIDAE De Haan, 1849

Compiler and date details

May 2012 - Peter Davie, Queensland Museum, Brisbane

Atyidae De Haan, W. 1849. Crustacea. 1-243 pls A-J, L-Q, 1-55, circ. tab. 2 in Von Siebold, P.F. (ed.). Fauna Japonica sive Descriptio Animalium, quae in Itinere per Japoniam, Jussu et Auspiciis Superiorum, qui Summum in India Batava Imperium Tenent, Suscepto, Annis 1823–1830 Collegit, Notis, Observationibus et Adumbrationibus Illustravit. Leiden : Lugundi-Batavorum. [168, 184] [as Atyadea; name placed in the corrected spelling, Atyidae, on the Official List of Family-Group Names in Zoology, see International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1957. Opinion 470. Additions to the Official List of Family-Group Names in Zoology of the names of one hundred and two genera of Caridea (Class Crustacea, Order Decapoda) and use of the Plenary Powers for various purposes in connection therewith. Opinions and Declarations rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 16: 129–202, the incorrect original spelling placed on the Official Index of Rejected and Invalid Family-Group Names in Zoology in the same Opinion].
Secondary source:
International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1957. Opinion 470. Additions to the Official List of Family-Group Names in Zoology of the names of one hundred and two genera of Caridea (Class Crustacea, Order Decapoda) and use of the Plenary Powers for various purposes in connection therewith. Opinions and Declarations rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 16: 129-202.
Stynier Bouvier, E.L. 1908. Arachnides, Myriopodes et Crustacés. in, Chevalier, A. Mission Chari-Lac Tchad 1902–1904. Apend. S. 701–702 Paris. [701].
Paratyinae Holthuis, L.B. 1986. A new genus and species of subterranean shrimp from Western Australia (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae). Zoologische Mededelingen (Leiden) 60(7): 103-111 [103, 104].
Caridellinae Holthuis, L.B. 1986. A new genus and species of subterranean shrimp from Western Australia (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae). Zoologische Mededelingen (Leiden) 60(7): 103-111 [103, 104].
Typhlatyinae Holthuis, L.B. 1986. A new genus and species of subterranean shrimp from Western Australia (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae). Zoologische Mededelingen (Leiden) 60(7): 103-111 [103, 104].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

Holthuis, L.B. 1993. The Recent Genera of the Caridean and Stenopodidean Shrimps (Crustacea, Decapoda). Alblasserdam : Ridderprint Offsetdrukkerij B.V. 328 pp. [40]

Introduction

Australian atyid shrimps are all small in size, being less than 35 mm in total length with the exception of Australatya striolata which reaches 60 mm total length. Many are exclusively found in freshwater although a few have larval development requiring marine influence and others are occasionally found in brackish water as adults. Typically they feed by scraping food particles off rocks and plants using the brush-like setae on the tips of the claws of their first and second legs, but at least one species, Pycnisia raptor, is believed to be a predator.

Perhaps the most influential work on Australian atyids was published by Riek (1953), although a number of other important papers have followed. Chace (1983) reviewed the Atya-like shrimps of the Indo-west Pacific region and was able to recognise the Australian Riffle Shrimp, as a separate endemic genus Australatya. New species of Caridina were described by Short (1993) and Choy & Marshall (1997). Williams (1964), Holthuis (1960, 1986) and Bruce (1992) described an interesting and relatively diverse fauna of cave-dwelling shrimps (Parisia, Pycneus, Pycnisia and Stygiocaris) and it seems likely that more will become known as speleologists explore more remote northern cave systems.

Holthuis (1986) divided the Atyidae into four subfamilies: Atyinae de Haan, 1849 (including Australatya and Caridina), Caridellinae Holthuis, 1986 (Caridinides, Parisia, Pycneus, Pycnisia), Paratyinae Holthuis, 1986 (Paratya), and Typhlatyinae Holthuis, 1986 (Stygiocaris). Only genera occurring in Australia are included here. Keys to all genera in each subfamily were provided by Holthuis (1993).

Diagnosis

Rostrum, if present, inflexibly attached to rest of carapace. Carapace without longitudinal lateral ridges or suture, and without cardiac notch in posterior margin. Eyes neither unusually long nor concealed beneath carapace. Antennule with two flagella, neither with accessory branch. Mandible with palp, with subtruncate molar process not distinctly separated from incisor process. Second maxilla with endite well developed, scaphognathite with proximal lobe tapering, bearing series of long setae, and extending far into branchial chamber. First maxilliped with exopod terminating in lash, not in broad, partially detached lobe. Caridean lobe not acutely produced, not overreaching distally produced endite. Second maxilliped with exopod, endopod 4-segmented, not terminating in two segments attached side-by-side to preceding segment, terminal segment attached to slender, sickle-shaped extension of preceding segment. Third maxilliped 5-segmented, slender, pereiopod-like. Pereiopods usually with strap-like epipods (mastigobranchs) on at least three anterior pairs, epipods without naked appendix extending vertically into branchial chamber; two anterior pairs of pereiopods similar, with fingers of chela usually terminating in tuft of setae; second pereiopod with carpus undivided. (After Chace 1997).