Order ANASPIDACEA Calman, 1904

Psammaspides williamsi [from Schminke 1974]

© Copyright from Schminke 1974.

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Introduction

The anatomy and natural history of the most common species of anaspidaceans are well known (Schram 1986, Coineau 1996 and numerous references for the species listed here). All species inhabit freshwater from streams, lakes, caves, and in the burrows of parastacid crayfishes. Schminke (1986) listed all the species known, and more recently Coineau (1996) all the genera. Only one family, Stygocarididae, occurs outside Australia, in New Zealand and South America. The order reaches its greatest diversity in south-eastern Australia where all families occur. Williams (1980) provided a key to seven of the eight Australian genera. Family diagnoses are adapted from Schminke (1982) and Coineau (1996) with reference to Schram (1986).

Diagnosis

Thoracomere 1 fused to cephalon. Pleonites 1-6 usually separate. Eyes pedunculate, sessile or absent. Antennal statocysts present. Mandibles asymmetrical, left incisor armed with numerous teeth. Paragnaths present. Thoracopod 1 robust, 7- or 8-articled, with tubular exopod, covering mouthparts; thoracopods 2-6 with nontubular exopod; thoracopod 7 with or without exopod; thoracopod 8 flexed in opposite direction to thoracopods 2-7, without exopod and epipod; epipods present on thoracopods 2-7. Seminal receptacle present in female. Pleopod 1 and endopod of pleopod 2 of male associated and forming a petasma. With spermatophores.

General References

Calman, W.T. 1904. On the classification of the Crustacea Malacostraca. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 7 13: 144-158

Coineau, N. 1996. Sous-classe des Eumalacostracés (Eumalacostraca Grobben, 1892) Super-ordre des syncarides (Syncarida Packard, 1885). pp. 897-954 in Forest, J. (ed.). Traité de Zoologie. Anatomie, Systématique, Biologie. Publié sous la direction de Pierre-P. Grassé. Tome VII. Crustacés. Fascicule 2. Généralités (suite) et systématique (Céphalocarides à Syncarides). Paris : Masson éditeur 1002 pp.

Schminke, H.K. 1982. Syncarida. pp. 233-237 in Parker, S.P. (ed.). Synopsis and classification of living organisms. New York : McGraw-Hill Vol. 2

Schminke, H.K. 1986. Syncarida. pp. 389-404 in Botosaneanu, L. & Stock, J.H. (eds). Stygofauna Mundi. A Faunistic, Distributional, and Ecological Synthesis of the World Fauna Inhabiting Subterranean Waters (including the Marine Intersitial). Leiden : E.J. Brill & Dr. W. Backhuys

Schram, F.R. 1986. Crustacea. New York : Oxford University Press xii 606 pp.

Williams, W.D. 1980. Australian Freshwater Life. Melbourne : Macmillan xi 321 pp.