Family ZOBRACHOIDAE Barnard & Drummond, 1982

Prantinus talanggi

© Copyright from Barnard & Drummond 1982: fig. 13.

Museums

Regional Maps

Introduction

The Zobrachoidae are a small family group confined to the Southern Hemisphere, mainly Australia. Only two species (Chono angustiarum Clark & Barnard, 1987 and Tonocote magellani Clark & Barnard, 1986) among the five monotypic genera occur outside Australian waters. Barnard & Drummond (1982) established the family and described most of the known genera and species. All zobrachoids occur in shallow water on soft bottoms. Almost nothing is known of their biology, ecology or life histories. Recent keys to all genera can be found in Clark & Barnard (1987) and Barnard & Karaman (1991).

Diagnosis

Head longer than deep; rostrum short or moderate; eyes round. Body laterally compressed; smooth. Antenna 1 shorter than antenna 2; peduncle with many robust or slender setae; peduncular article 1 subequal to, or longer than article 2; article 2 longer than article 3; article 3 shorter than article 1; peduncular articles 1–2 geniculate; peduncular articles 2-3 geniculate or not; primary flagellum 5- or more articulate; callynophore present or absent. Antenna 2 short or medium length; peduncle with robust or slender setae; flagellum shorter than peduncle; calceoli present or absent. Mandible incisor dentate; lacinia mobilis present on both sides; molar fully triturating. Maxilla 1 inner plate strongly setose along medial margin; palp 1-articulate. Maxilliped inner plates well developed; outer plates small. Coxae 1-4 longer than broad, as long as broad or broader than long, overlapping. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; subequal to gnathopod 2; subchelate; coxa smaller than coxa 2; carpus longer than propodus. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; subchelate; coxa smaller than but not hidden by coxa 3; ischium short; carpus long, longer than propodus. Pereopod 3 coxa longer than broad; carpus longer than propodus, not produced. Pereopod 4 coxa larger than coxa 3, with well developed posteroventral lobe or without posteroventral lobe; carpus longer than propodus, not produced. Pereopods 5–7 with many rows of facial and marginal robust setae. Pereopod 5 shorter than pereopod 6; coxa smaller than coxa 4, without posterior lobe; basis expanded, without posteroventral lobe; carpus expanded. Pereopod 6 subequal to or longer than pereopod 7; basis expanded. Pereopod 7 subequal to, or longer than pereopod 5; basis expanded or linear, with dense long slender setae. Epimeron 1 well developed or poorly developed. Epimeron 2 setose. Urosomite 1 longer than urosomite 2. Uropods 1–2 apices of rami without robust setae. Uropod 1 peduncle with long plumose setae. Uropod 3 biramous; peduncle short; rami linguiform; outer ramus longer than peduncle; inner ramus apically setose. Telson laminar; deeply cleft; longer than broad; dorsal and apical robust setae absent.

General References

Barnard, J.L. & Drummond, M.M. 1982. Gammaridean Amphipoda of Australia, Part V: Superfamily Haustorioidea. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 360: i-iv, 1-148

Barnard, J.L. & Karaman, G.S. 1991. The families and genera of marine gammaridean Amphipoda (except marine gammaroids). Records of the Australian Museum, Supplement 13: 1-866

Clark, J. & Barnard, J.L. 1986. Tonocote, a new genus and species of Zobrachoidae from Argentina (Crustacea: Marine Amphipoda). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 99: 225-236

Clark, J. & Barnard, J.L. 1987. Chono angustiarum, a new genus and species of Zobrachoidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from the Magellan strait, with a revision of Urohaustoriidae. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 100: 75-88

History of changes