Family GONODACTYLIDAE Giesbrecht, 1910
- Gonodactylinae Giesbrecht, W 1910. Stomatopoden, Erste Theil. Fauna und Flora des Golfes von Neapel, Monographie 33: 1-239 pls 1-11 [148].
Introduction
This family was treated most recently by Ahyong (2001), who provided keys for identification. All gonodactylids are `smashers'. They are most abundant in the tropics on hard substrates such as coral and rocky reefs, and are the most common stomatopods on coral reefs.
Species of most gonodactylid genera (except Neogonodactylus) occur exclusively in the Indo-West Pacific. Species of Neogonodactylus occur only in the eastern Pacific and western Atlantic, and no gonodactylids are known from the eastern Atlantic. Four genera are recognised in Australian waters.
Diagnosis
Cornea with six rows of rectangular ommatidia in the midband. Protopod of antenna with fixed, anteriorly directed spine dorsally. Third and fourth maxillipeds with propodi ovate, not ribbed or beaded ventrally; body subcylindrical, articulation compact. Raptorial claw with ischiomeral articulation subterminal, dactylus without teeth on inner margin, outer margin inflated basally into blunt heel. Sixth abdominal somite articulating with telson. Telson with distinct median carina; submedian teeth with movable apices; at most with three `intermediate' denticles, arising marginally. Uropodal protopod with two primary spines; articulation of exopod segments subterminal. Distal spines on outer margin of uropodal exopod slender, straight, or slightly curved, not strongly recurved anteriorly.
General References
Ahyong, S.T. 2001. Revision of the Australian Stomatopod Crustacea. Records of the Australian Museum Suppl. 26: 1-326