Family LEPTANTHURIDAE Poore, 2001

Accalathura themeda

© Copyright from Poore & Lew Ton 1990.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Leptanthuridae Poore, G.C.B. 2001. Families and genera of Isopoda Anthuridea. Crustacean Issues 13: 63-173 [97].

Introduction

Leptanthurids have a single telsonic statocyst and an even row of robust setae, often complex, along the palm of pereopod 1 which is usually defined proximally by a square angle or a protruding tooth (Poore, 2001). Leptanthurids are probable predators (Wägele, 1981, 1985). Wägele (1985) observed that the Antarctic species Accalathura gigantissima Kussakin fed on amphipods by sucking body fluids through their pointed mouthparts. The family includes 13 valid genera, some previously included in Paranthuridae.

Diagnosis

Body 10–15 times as long as wide, non-males rarely more elongate (pereonite 7 wider than long, much shorter than pereonite 6); pleonites without marginal plumose setae on pleonal epimera or posterior borders of pleonites 4 and 5; pleonites 1–5 together not more than twice as long as wide; pleonites 1–5 free and articulating, or fused; telson statocyst single. Antennal flagellum of fewer than 10 articles, shorter than peduncle, or of numerous articles. Mouthparts acutely produced anteriorly. Mandible with acute anteriorly-directed incisor. Maxillipedal palp narrow, tapering to acute apex, of fewer than 4 articles (c. 3 times as long as wide). Pereopods 2–3 carpus not or weakly produced posterodistally. Pereopod 7 propodus anterodistal serrate setae absent. Pleopod 1 exopod operculiform alone.

General References

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

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

Wägele, J.W. 1985. Observations on nutrition and ultrastructure of digestive tract and fat body of the giant paranthurid Accalathura gigantissima Kussakin. Polar Biology 4: 33-43

History of changes