Family VICMUSIIDAE Just, 1990

Acanthonotozomopsis duplocoxa

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Family VICMUSIIDAE Just, 1990

Introduction

The Vicmusiidae are a small group of Southern Hemisphere amphipods currently represented by the genus Acanthonotozomopsis, which is known from south-eastern Australia and the eastern Antarctic. Just (1990) orignally considered that vicmusiids were similar to stegocephaloids and iphimedioids, but belonged in neither group. Lowry & Myers (2000) considered vicmusiids to form a subfamily in an expanded Iphimediidae which also included the acanthonotozomatins ochlesiins. Nothing is known about the biology of this group.

Diagnosis

Head concealed or partially concealed; deeper than long; anteroventral margin weakly or moderately recessed and not excavate; anteroventral corner rounded or subquadrate; rostrum short or moderate; eyes round or ovoid. Body laterally compressed; smooth. Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 longer than article 2; article 2 longer than article 3; article 3 shorter than article 1; primary flagellum 5- or more articulate; callynophore present or absent. Antenna 2 medium length; flagellum shorter than, as long as or longer than peduncle; 5- or more articulate. Mandible incisor dentate or smooth; lacinia mobilis present on left side only; molar absent. Maxilla 1 inner plate without setae; palp large or reduced. Maxilliped inner plates reduced or absent; outer plates small. Pereonites divided horizontally. Coxae 1–4 longer than broad, overlapping; coxa 2 reduced. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; subequal to gnathopod 2; simple; coxa subequal to coxa 2; carpus shorter than or subequal to propodus. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; simple; coxa smaller than but not hidden by coxa 3; ischium short; carpus long, subequal to, or longer than propodus. Pereopod 3 coxa longer than broad; carpus shorter than propodus, not produced. Pereopod 4 coxa larger than coxa 3, without posteroventral lobe; carpus shorter than propodus, not produced. Pereopod 5 shorter than or subequal to pereopod 6; coxa smaller than coxa 4, with ventrally produced posterior lobe; basis expanded or slightly expanded, subovate, without posteroventral lobe; carpus linear. Pereopod 6 shorter than or subequal to pereopod 7; basis expanded or slightly expanded. Pereopod 7 subequal to, or longer than pereopod 5; basis expanded, with broad posteroventral lobe, subrectangular or subovate. Pleonites 1–3 with lateral ridging. Urosomite 1 longer or much longer than urosomite 2. Uropods 1–2 apices of rami without robust setae. Uropod 3 biramous; peduncle short, without medial process; rami lanceolate; outer ramus longer than peduncle; inner ramus not apically setose. Telson laminar; entire; as long as broad; dorsal and apical robust setae absent.