Family STRAHLAXIIDAE Poore, 1994

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• Strahlaxiidae Poore, G.C.B. 1994. A phylogeny of the families of Thalassinidea (Crustacea: Decapoda) with keys to families and genera. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 54: 79-120 [100].

Introduction

This small family of thalassinidean benthic shrimps was described only recently to accommodate three genera, Neaxius Borradaile, 1903, Strahlaxius Sakai & de Saint Laurent, 1989, and Neaxiopsis Sakai & de Saint Laurent, 1989, that were previously placed in the Axiidae. It is represented in Australia by Neaxius and Strahlaxius, each with two species. Probably the best known is Neaxius glyptocercus von Martens, a large, orange-red, lobster-like thalassinid reaching about 100 mm in length, and very common in sheltered embayments of northern Australia such as Moreton Bay.

Diagnosis

Reptant decapods without a thelycum in the female. Carapace with lateral lobes on posterior margin; linea thalassinica absent; rostrum usually spinose, apically bifid; eye usually pigmented; eyestalks cylindrical; antenna 1 with article 1 as long as article 2, and article 3 about as long as article 2; maxilla 2 scaphognathite with 1–2 long setae on posterior margin; gill elements paired. Pereiopods 1–5 with basis and ischium fused; pereiopod 1 chelate and carpus-propodus articulation slight; pereiopod 2 chelate; always with dense row of long setae on lower margin; pereiopod 3 simple; pereiopod 4 simple or subchelate, coxa more or less flattened; propodus of pereiopods 3 and 4 broadened; pereiopod 5 chelate or subchelate, without arthrobranch on thoracomere 1. Pleuron of abdominal somite 1 not produced; abdominal somite 2 twice as long as 3; pleopods with appendix interna; pleopod 2 similar to pleopod 3–5; uropodal rami lamellate; male pleopod 2 endopod foliaceous with small appendix masculina attached mesially; exopods of pleopods 2–5 laterally lobed; uropodal endopod triangular. Pereiopods 2–4 and abdominal somites with some setal-rows. (After Poore 1994).

General References

Borradaile, L.A. 1903. On the classification of the Thalassinidea. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 12(7): 534-551, 638

Poore, G.C.B. 1994. A phylogeny of the families of Thalassinidea (Crustacea: Decapoda) with keys to families and genera. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 54: 79-120

Sakai, K. & de Saint Laurent, M. 1989. A check list of Axiidae (Decapoda, Crustacea, Thalassinidea, Anomura), with remarks and in addition descriptions of one new subfamily, eleven new genera and two new species. Naturalists 3: 1-104

History of changes