Family SCINIDAE Stebbing, 1888

Scina borealis

© Copyright from Zeidler 1998: fig. 1.

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Regional Maps

Introduction

The Scinidae are a small family of four genera and about 43 species, dominated by the genus Scina. It is mainly a deep-water group (Zeidler 1992) associated with siphonophores (Laval 1980). Fourteen species, all in the genus Scina, have been reported from Australian waters, a number similar to the 15 species, in three genera, reported by Répelin (1978) from the western and central Pacific Ocean. Bowman & Gruner (1973) and Vinogradov et al. (1982) both give keys to the world genera and Vinogradov et al. give keys to the world species. Zeidler (1990) gives a key to the world species of Scina.

Diagnosis

Head deeper than long; anteroventral margin moderately recessed; rostrum absent. Body laterally compressed or dorsoventrally flattened. Antenna 1 shorter or longer than antenna 2; peduncle 1- or 2-articulate; peduncular article 1 shorter or longer than article 2; calceoli absent. Mandible molar absent; palp absent. Maxilla 1 palp 1-articulate. Gnathopod 1 simple or carpochelate; carpus longer than propodus; dactylus large or minute. Gnathopod 2 dactylus well developed or minute. Pereopod 3 carpus subequal to propodus or longer than propodus. Pereopod 5 shorter or longer than pereopod 6; without posteroventral lobe; carpus linear. Pereopod 6 longer than pereopod 7; basis linear. Pereopod 7 basis linear. Pleonite 3 with dorsal carina. Uropods 1–3 uniramous; uropod 3 not sexually dimorphic.

General References

Bowman, T.E. & Gruner, H.E. 1973. The families and genera of Hyperiidea (Crustacea: Amphipoda). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 146: 1-64

Laval, P. 1980. Hyperiid amphipods as crustacean parasitoids associated with gelatinous zooplankton. Oceanography and Marine Biology Annual Reviews 18: 11-56

Répelin, R. 1978. Les amphipodes pélagiques du Pacifique occidental et central. Travaux et Documents de l'ORSTOM, Paris 86: 1-381

Stebbing, T.R.R. 1888. Report on the Amphipoda collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873–76. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of the H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873-76 (Zoology) 29: i-xxiv + 1-1713, 210 pls (3 vols)

Vinogradov, M.E., Volkov, A.F. & Semenova, T.N. 1982. Amphipoda — Hyperiidea of the World Ocean. Nauka Leningrad U.S.S.R. Opred. po Faune S.S.S.R 132: 1-491 [in Russian]

Zeidler, W. 1990. Pelagic amphipods, Infraorder Physosomata (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea) from the CSK International Zooplankton collection (western North Pacific), with the description of four new species of Scina. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory 34(4/6): 167-200

Zeidler, W. 1992. Hyperiid amphipods (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea) collected recently from eastern Australian waters. Records of the Australian Museum 44(1): 85-133

Zeidler, W. 1998. Pelagic amphipods (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea) collected from eastern and south-eastern Australian waters by the CSIRO vessel "Warreen" during the years 1938–1941. Records of the South Australian Museum Monograph Series 4: 1-143