Family PHLIANTIDAE Stebbing, 1899

Gabophlias olono

© Copyright from Barnard 1972: fig. 173.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Phliantidae Stebbing, T.R.R. 1899. Amphipoda from the Copenhagen Museum and other sources. — Part II. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 2nd series 7(8): 395-432, pls 30-35.

  Type genus:

   Phlias Guerin, 1836.

Introduction

The Phliantidae are a group of mainly Southern Hemisphere, intertidal algal-dwelling amphipods. Four of the six genera and seven of the 20 known species occur in Australian waters. Most species are extremely compressed laterally with highly vaulted bodies. Almost nothing is known of the behaviour, ecology or life histories of phliantids. Barnard & Karaman (1991) present a key to all genera.

Diagnosis

Head as long as deep; rostrum long; eyes round. Body laterally compressed or dorsoventrally flattened; smooth. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2; peduncular article 1 longer than article 2; article 2 subequal to, or longer than article 3; article 3 shorter than article 1; accessory flagellum absent; primary flagellum less than 5-articulate; callynophore absent. Antenna 2 short; flagellum shorter than peduncle; less than 5-articulate. Mandible incisor dentate; molar non-triturating, stylocylindroid or spike-like; palp absent. Maxilla 1 inner plate weakly setose apically; palp absent. Maxilliped inner plates well developed; outer plates large. Coxae 1–4 longer than broad, splayed. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; smaller (or weaker) than or subequal to gnathopod 2; simple or subchelate; coxa smaller than coxa 2; carpus shorter than propodus. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; simple or subchelate; coxa smaller or subequal to but not hidden by coxa 3; ischium long; carpus short, shorter than propodus. Pereopods some, all or none prehensile. Pereopod 3 coxa longer than broad or as long as broad; carpus shorter than propodus, not produced. Pereopod 4 coxa larger than coxa 3, with well-developed posteroventral lobe; carpus shorter than propodus, not produced. Pereopod 5 subequal to pereopod 6; coxa smaller than coxa 4, without posterior lobe; basis expanded, subrectangular, with or without posteroventral lobe; carpus linear. Pereopod 6 shorter than or subequal to pereopod 7; basis expanded or linear. Pereopod 7 subequal to, or longer than pereopod 5; basis expanded or linear. Urosomites 1–3 free or superficially coalesced; urosomite 1 subequal to, longer or much longer than urosomite 2. Uropods 1–2 apices of rami with robust setae. Uropod 3 uniramous or rami absent; peduncle short; ramus shorter than peduncle. Telson laminar or weakly thickened dorsoventrally; entire; longer than broad; dorsal and apical robust setae absent.

General References

Barnard, J.L. 1972. Gammaridean Amphipoda of Australia, Part I. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 103: i-vi 1-333

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

Stebbing, T.R.R. 1899. Amphipoda from the Copenhagen Museum and other sources. — Part II. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 2nd series 7(8): 395-432, pls 30-35

History of changes