Family PSEUDANTHESSIIDAE Humes & Stock, 1972

Pseudanthessius tenuis

© Copyright after Nicholls 1944.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Pseudanthessiidae Humes & Stock, 1972.

  Type genus:

   Pseudanthessius Claus, 1889.

  Compiled from secondary source:

   Boxshall, G.A. & Halsey, S.H. 2004. An Introduction to Copepod Diversity. London : The Ray Society 966 pp. [637]; Humes, A.G. & Boxshall, G.A. 1996. A revision of the lichomolgoid complex (Copepoda: Poecilostomatoida), with the recognition of six new families. Journal of Natural History 30: 175-227 [199].

Introduction

Species in the family Pseudanthessiidae are generally found in association with echinoderms, although some species are known to be associates of Turbellaria, Nemertea, Polychaeta and Bivalvia. The family includes five genera, and 48 species. See Boxshall & Halsey (2004: 637) for more details as well as a key to the genera.

Database Notes

Hosts
Pseudanthessiids are primarily associates of echinoderms. Senariellus and Mecomerinx are found only on sea urchins (Echinoidea) and Sipadania occurs on starfish (Asteroidea). Spiranthessius occurs on a serpulid polychaete. Species of Pseudanthessius, however, utilise a particularly wide range of marine invertebrates, occurring in association with hosts belonging to the Turbellaria, Nemertea, Polychaeta and Bivalvia, as well as the echinoderms (Crinoidea, Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea and Echinoidea) (see Humes & Boxshall 1996: 203).

ID Keys

For keys to the genera see Humes & Boxshall (1996) and Boxshall & Halsey (2004).

General References

Boxshall, G.A. & Halsey, S.H. 2004. An Introduction to Copepod Diversity. London : The Ray Society 966 pp.