Family TYLIDAE Dana, 1852

Tylos spinulosus

© Copyright from Dana 1853.

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Introduction

The family Tylidae is represented in Australia by three species of Tylos on the mainland and one on Christmas Island. They are supralittoral on sandy beaches in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. The family occurs worldwide (Schultz 1970; Kensley 1974; Schmalfuss & Ferrara 1978; Schmalfuss & Vergara, 2000).

Diagnosis

Dorsal surface of body strongly convex; animal can conglobate. Head with well-developed frontal process. Antenna 1 of 1 article. Antenna 2 flagellum with 2–4 articles. Mandible with molar process. Pereonal epimera 2–7 (coxae) separate, not fused to tergites. Dactylar organ present on each pereopod. Male with 2 genital apertures but no penes. Pleopod 2 of male modified as copulatory structure. Pleopodal lungs present in exopods of pleopods 2–5. Uropod attached laterally and folded below ventral surface of pleon; exopod absent.

General References

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

Kensley, B. 1974. Aspects of the biology and ecology of the genus Tylos Latreille. Annals of the South African Museum 65: 401-471

Schmalfuss, H. & Ferrara, F. 1978. Terrestrial isopods from West Africa. Part 2: Families Tylidae, Ligiidae, Trichoniscidae, Styloniscidae, Rhyscotidae, Halophilosciidae, Philosciidae, Platyarthridae, Trachelipidae, Porcellionidae, Armadillidiidae. Monitore Zoologico Italiano n.s., Monographie 11: 15-97

Schmalfuss, H. & Vergara, K. 2000. The isopod genus Tylos (Oniscidea: Tylidae) in Chile, with bibliographies of all described species of the genus. Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde. Serie A (Biologie) 612: 1-42

Schultz, G.A. 1970. A review of the species of the genus Tylos Latreille from the new world (Isopoda, Oniscoidea). Crustaceana 19: 297-305

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