OEDICEROTIDAE Liljeborg, 1865

Foster, John M. & Heard, Richard W., 2002, Ameroculodes miltoni, a new species of estuarine amphipod (Crustacea: Malacostraca: Peracarida: Oedicerotidae) from the southeastern United States, Zootaxa 28, pp. 1-12 : 2

FAMILY OEDICEROTIDAE Liljeborg, 1865

Ameroculodes Bousfield and Chevrier, 1996 , emended diagnosis

Diagnosis. – Maxilliped, outer plate bearing spine setae only; palp with article 2 broad, distally truncate. Gnathopod 1, carpal lobe of medium length and width, reaching palmar angle. Pereopods 2­3, carpus longer than propodus; propodus broad, subovate, narrowing distally; dactyl short, one third or less length of propodus. Pereopods 4­5, merus relatively short, strongly expanded distally; dactyl short, one half or less length of propodus. Pereopod 7, carpus slightly longer than merus, subequal to propodus in length; dactyl, posterior margin strongly setose, bearing long natatory setae. Uropods 1­3, tips of rami not extending subequally, those of uropod 3 shorter than those of uropod 1­2. Telson subquadrate or rounded apically.

Remarks.– Because the new euryhaline species here described from southeastern U. S. estuaries appears to have its closest affinities with Ameroculodes , we here emend this genus to receive it. As species within the genus Monoculodes sensu Bousfield and Chevrier (1996) also have rounded or subquadrate epimeral plates, we consider this a specific, rather than a generic, character within the genus Ameroculodes , as well. The short dactyls of pereopods 3­6, especially those of pereopods 3 and 4, appear to be the best diagnostic character for the genus Ameroculodes .