Family WHITELEGGIIDAE Gutu, 1972

Leviapseudes leptodactylus

© Copyright from Beddard 1886.

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Introduction

Gutu (1972, 1981) recognised two subfamilies: Leiop[od]inae (=Leviapseudinae Sieg, 1983) and Whiteleggiinae. The confused synonymy of the family was discussed briefly by Sieg (1983) and current studies include the Leviapseudinae in the Apseudidae (Gutu 2006; see Apseudidae). Members of Whiteleggiidae (subfamily Whiteleggiinae) are restricted to shallow coastal waters. Worldwide, there are four species in two genera. In Australia, both genera, Pseudowhiteleggia and Whiteleggia, are known with three species in total. Gutu (1996) provided a key to genera.

Diagnosis

Pleon with 5 pleonites. Mandibular palp 3–articled. Maxilla 1 with palp. Epignath of maxilliped broad, cup-shaped. Inner caudodistal seta of maxillipedal endite transformed into leaf-shaped spine. Pereopod 1 never uniform (not ambulatory), stronger than the others, fossorial. Pereopods 2–6 similar, more or less ambulatory. Dactylus not transformed to an aesthetasc-like structure.

General References

Gutu, M. 1972. Phylogenetic and systematic considerations upon the Monokonophora (Crustacea - Tanaidacea) with the suggestion of a new family and several new subfamilies. Revue Roumaine de Biologie Zool. 17: 297-305

Gutu, M. 1981. A new contribution to the systematics and phylogeny ofthe suborder Monokonophora (Crustacea, Tanaidacea). Travaux du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle "Grigore Antipa" 23: 81-108

Gutu, M. 1996. The synoptic table and key to the superspecific taxa of recent Apseudomorpha (Crustacea, Tanaidacea). Travaux du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle "Grigore Antipa" 36: 135-146

Guţu, M. 2006. New Apseudomorph Taxa of the World Ocean: Crustacea, Tanaidacea. Bucharest, Romania : Curtea Veche 318 pp.

Gutu, M. & Sieg, J. 1999. Ordre des tanaïdacés (Tanaidacea Hansen, 1895). pp. 353-389 in Forest, J. Traité de Zoologie. Anatomie, systématique, biologie … Tome 7 Crustacés. Fascicule 3A Péracarides. Mémoires de l'Institut Océanographique, Monaco 19: 1-450

Sieg, J. 1983. Evolution of Tanaidacea. Crustacean Issues 1: 229-256

History of changes