Family HYSSURIDAE Wägele, 1981

Kupellonura gidgee

© Copyright from Poore & Lew Ton 1988.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Hyssuridae Wägele, J.W. 1981. Zur phylogenie der Anthuridea (Crustacea, Isopoda) mit Beiträgen zur Lebensweise, Morphologie, Anatomie und Taxonomie. Zoologica (Stuttgart) 132: 1-127 [6].

Introduction

Members of the Hyssuridae are distinguished from other anthuroids by the absence of a telsonic statocyst, free pleonites, non-operculiform first pleopods (all pleopods are similar) and small size (Wägele, 1981; Poore & Lew Ton, 1988; Müller, 1990; Poore, 2001). The Hyssuridae are a cosmopolitan family of 59 species in seven genera from coastal to deep-sea environments. Wägele (1981) introduced the family and it was revised and restricted by Poore & Lew Ton (1988). All species are very small (less than 7 mm) and colourless.

Eight species are known from Australia. Poore (2001) provided the most recent key to genera and list of species.

Diagnosis

Body slender (pereonite 7 longer than wide, little or not shorter than pereonite 6); pleonites without marginal plumose setae on pleonal epimera or posterior borders of pleonites 4 and 5; pleonites 1–5 together 3 times as long as wide; pleonites 1–5 free and articulating; telson statocysts absent. Antennal flagellum of fewer than 10 articles, shorter than peduncle. Mouthparts not produced anteriorly. Mandible compact and with weakly-toothed transverse incisor. Maxillipedal palp broad (c. twice as long as wide). Pereopods 2–3 carpus strongly produced posterodistally. Pereopod 7 propodus anterodistal serrate setae absent. Pleopods 1–5 similar, none operculiform.

General References

Müller, H.-G. 1990. Anthuridea from coral reefs at Réunion Island, southern Indian Ocean (Crustacea: Isopoda). Senckenbergiana Biologica 70: 359-395

Poore, G.C.B. 2001. Families and genera of Isopoda Anthuridea. Crustacean Issues 13: 63-173

Poore, G.C.B. & Lew Ton, H.M. 1988. A generic review of the Hyssuridae (Crustacea: Isopoda) with a new genus and new species from Australia. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 49: 169-193

Wägele, J.W. 1981b. Zur phylogenie der Anthuridea (Crustacea, Isopoda) mit Beiträgen zur Lebensweise, Morphologie, Anatomie und Taxonomie. Zoologica (Stuttgart) 132: 1-127

History of changes