Family TANAIDAE Dana, 1849
Compiler and date details
April 2011 - Kelly Merrin
Introduction
The cosmopolitan distribution of the family was mapped by Sieg (1983: fig. 12). There are over 40 species in 19 genera mostly on shelf environments (Gutu & Sieg 1999, Bamber 2005, Edgar 2008). Sieg (1980) treated this family in great detail. He divided the (then) 16 genera into five subfamilies and discussed their phylogentic relationships. A key to genera was presented by Sieg & Winn (1981). In Australia, there is Austrotanais, Langitanaidinae is represented by Langitanais, Pancolinae by Aviatanais, Hexapleomera, Pancoloides Zeuxo and Zeuxoides, Sinelobinae by Sinelobus, and Tanainae by Tanais.
Diagnosis
With eyes. Pleon with 3–5 pleonites, but never more than 3 pairs of pleopods. Palp of maxilla 1 typically with more than 2 distal setae. Labium consisting of inner and outer lobe, with or without terminal palp. Maxilliped unfused medially, with coxae. Epignath kidney-shaped. Pereopods ambulatory, without ischium. Dactylus and terminal spine of pereopods 4–6 fused, forming a characteristic claw bearing skin-like spines laterally. Uropods uniramous. Marsupium formed by 1 pair of sack-like oostegites ('ovisacs'). Sexual dimorphism only affecting antenna 1 and cheliped. Mouthparts always present in males.
General References
Bamber, R.N. 2005. The Tanaidaceans (Arthropoda: Crustacea: Peracarida: Tanaidacea) of Esperance, Western Australia, Australia. pp. 613-728 in Wells, F.E., Walker, D.I. & Kendrick, G.A. (eds). The Marine Flora and Fauna of Esperance, Western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum
Dana, J.D. 1849. Conspectus crustaceorum quae in orbis terrarum circumnavigatione, Carolo Wilkes e classe Reipublicae, Foederate Duce, lexit et descripsit (continued). American Journal of Science 2: 424-428
Edgar, G.J. 2008. Shallow water Tanaidae (Crustacea: Tanaidacea) of Australia. Zootaxa 1836: 1-92
Gutu, M. & Sieg, J. 1999. Ordre des tanaïdacés (Tanaidacea Hansen, 1895). 353-389 in Forest, J. Traité de Zoologie. Anatomie, systématique, biologie … Tome 7 Crustacés. Fascicule 3A Péracarides. Mémoires de l'Institut Océanographique, Monaco 19: 1-450
Sieg J. & Winn, R.N. 1981. The Tanaidae (Crustacea: Tanaidacea) of California, with a key to the world genera. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 94: 315-343
Sieg, J. 1980. Taxonomische Monographie der Tanaidae Dana, 1849 (Crustacea, Tanaidacea). Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 537: 1-267
Sieg, J. 1983. Evolution of Tanaidacea. Crustacean Issues 1: 229-256