PHRONIMIDAE Dana, 1852

Zeidler, Wolfgang, 2004, A review of the families and genera of the hyperiidean amphipod superfamily Phronimoidea Bowman & Gruner, 1973 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea), Zootaxa 567, pp. 1-66 : 9-10

Family PHRONIMIDAE Dana, 1852

Diagnosis

Body length 10–40 mm, cuticle transparent. Head subconical, widest dorsally, narrowing and prolonged ventrally, about twice as deep as long. Eyes occupying most of head surface, divided into larger dorsal part and smaller ventrolateral part. Pereonites all separate ( Phronima ), or pereonites 1 & 2 partially fused ( Phronimella ). Coxae fused with pereonites. Antennae 1 reduced to two articles in females; in males composed of threearticulate peduncle, large callynophore with dense, two­field brush of aesthestascs medially followed by multi­articulate flagellum. Antennae 2 reduced to small tubercle in females; in males reduced to two small articles in P. sedentaria , multi­articulate in all other species. Mandibles without palp in both sexes; molar well developed. Maxillae 1 with palp and well­developed outer lobe; inner lobe absent. Maxillae 2 bilobed, welldeveloped. Maxilliped with slender outer lobes; inner lobe very reduced in Phronimella , about half­length (or longer) than outer lobes in Phronima . Gnathopods 1 & 2 weakly cheliform, or simple, with complex dactylus. Pereopods 3, 4, 6 & 7 simple; P3 & 4 usually the longest. Pereopod 5 ending in distinct, broad subchela ( Phronima ), or less perfect, slender subchela ( Phronimella ). Uropods slender with articulated endopods and exopods. Uropod 2 smaller than others, rudimentary in female Phronimella . Telson very small, rounded. Gills on pereonites 4–6. Oostegites on pereonites 2–5.

Two genera: Phronima and Phronimella .

Remarks

Shih (1969) has revised this family. Additions and modifications have been made by Laval (1968b, 1970) and Shih (1971a, 1971b, 1991), and additional taxonomic information for the Australian fauna is provided by Zeidler (1978, 1992a, 1998).

Key to the genera of the family PHRONIMIDAE

1. Pereonites 1 & 2 separate. Pereopod 5 with distinct broad subchela. Uropod 2 welldeveloped .......................................................................... Phronima Latreille, 1802

­ Pereonites 1 & 2 partially fused. Pereopod 5 with slender subchela. Uropod 2 rudimentary or absent ................................................................. Phronimella Claus, 1871