Lepidepecreoides K.H. Barnard, 1931

Lowry, J. K. & Stoddart, H. E., 2002, The Lysianassoid Amphipod Genera Lepidepecreoides and Lepidepecreum in Southern Waters (Crustacea: Lysianassidae: Tryphosinae), Records of the Australian Museum 54 (3), pp. 335-364 : 336

Lepidepecreoides K.H. Barnard

Lepidepecreoides K.H. Barnard, 1931: 426 .–K.H. Barnard, 1932: 62.–J.L. Barnard, 1969: 347.–J.L. Barnard, 1971: 40.–Barnard

& Karaman, 1991: 495.

Diagnosis. Antenna 1 accessory flagellum 2-articulate, terminal article small, offset. Antenna 2 peduncular article 3 short. Gnathopod 1 carpus long (length 2 to 3.9 × breadth). Pereopod 4 coxa with a weak posteroventral lobe (posterior margin concave). Pereopod 5 basis, posterior margin with mid-central spine.

Remarks. Originally K.H. Barnard (1931) considered the size of coxa 5 and the placement of the mandibular palp to be important defining characters for the genus. We have not found these characters to be informative. A character not previously considered is the length of peduncular article 3 on antenna 2. The elongate form of peduncular article 3 is a strong synapomorphy for the genus Lepidepecreum . Species of Lepidepecreoides have a short article 3, distinguishing them from species of Lepidepecreum . The elongate carpus of gnathopod 1 also appears to be a significant synapomorphy for some genera within the tryphosine group, a character Lepidepecreoides shares with Lepidepecreum, Tryphosella and Tryphosoides . Two apparent synapomorphies shared by Lepidepecreoides and Tryphosoides are the peculiar offset terminal article on the accessory flagellum and the loss of a well-developed posteroventral lobe on coxa 4. Only species of Lepidepecreoides have a mid-central spine on the basis of pereopod 5.