Cheirocratidae

Myers, A, 2013, A Phylogeny and Classification of the Senticaudata subord. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda), Zootaxa 3610 (1), pp. 1-80 : 39-40

Cheirocratidae d'Udekem d'Acoz, 2010

Type genus. Cheirocratus Norman, 1867

Diagnostic description. Body laterally compressed or subcylindrical. Eyes round. Antennae 1–2 calceoli absent. Antenna 1 shorter than peduncle of antenna 2; peduncular article 1 shorter than article 2, or subequal to article 2, or longer than article 2; article 2 longer than article 3; article 3 shorter than article 1; peduncular articles 1–2 not geniculate; peduncular articles 2–3 not geniculate; accessory flagellum present; short or minute. Antenna 2 peduncular article 1 not enlarged. Mandible molar triturative; palp symmetrical. Maxilla 1 inner plate setose along medial margin; palp symmetrical. Maxilla 2 with oblique setal row. Labium inner lobes present. Pereonites coxal gills on pereonites 2–6, not stalked; sternal gills absent; sternal blisters absent; oostegites fringing setae simple. Gnathopod 1 simple, carpochelate, weakly subchelate, subchelate or parachelate; similar in males and females (not sexually dimorphic), or dissimilar in males and females (sexually dimorphic); smaller or similar in size to gnathopod 2; propodus palm without robust setae along palmar margin. Gnathopod 2 simple or subchelate; similar or dissimilar in males and females (sexually dimorphic or not), carpus not produced along posterior margin of propodus, projecting between merus and carpus. Pereopods 3–4 not sexually dimorphic. Pereopod 4 with small posteroventral lobe or without posteroventral lobe. Pereopod 5 shorter than pereopod 6; coxa with posteroventral lobe or with posterodorsal lobe or with large anteroventral lobe or with small anteroventral lobe. Pereopod 7 longer than pereopod 5. Pleonites 1–3 each with or without dorsal carinae. Urosomites 1–3 free; with slender or robust dorsal setae. Urosomite 1 without large distoventral robust seta. Urosomite 2 with pair of dorsal concavities each with 1–3 small setae. Uropod 1 without basofacial robust seta (robust or simple). Uropod 3 not sexually dimorphic; biramous, without plumose setae; inner ramus subequal to outer ramus. Telson deeply cleft ; dorsal or lateral robust setae present, or absent; apical robust setae present or absent.

Habitat. Marine, epigean.

Included genera. Casco Shoemaker, 1930 ; Cheirocarpochela Ren & Andres, 2006 ; Cheirocratella Stephensen, 1940 ; Cheirocratus Norman, 1867 ; Degocheirocratus G. Karaman, 1985a ; Incratella Barnard & Drummond, 1982 ; Prosocratus Barnard & Drummond, 1982 .

Distribution. Cosmopolitan.