Guide to the Coastal Marine Isopods of California

Table of Contents

Suborder Anthuridea

(Key references: Menzies, 1951A; Menzies and Barnard, 1959; Negoescu and Wägele, 1984; Poore, 1984; Kensley and Schotte, 1989; Cadien and Brusca, 1993; Wetzer and Brusca, 1997)

Anthurideans are long, slender, subcylindrical isopods, with a length usually 6-15 times the width. The pereonites are mostly longer than wide (in contrast to most isopods, in which the reverse is true), and the dorsum often bears distinctive ridges, grooves or chromatophore patterns. Distinct coxal plates are rarely evident. The pleonites are often fused in various combinations, and pleonite 6 usually has its line of fusion with the telson demarcated by a deep dorsal groove. The first antennae are short (except in males of some species), as are the second antennae. The mandibles lack a distinct lacinia mobilis or spine row, instead usually having a dentate lobe or plate ( the "lamina dentata"). The outer ramus of the maxillule is a slender stylet with terminal spines; the maxillae are rudimentary. The maxillipeds are more-or-less fused to the head and lack coupling setae on the endites.

Anthurideans are thought to be primarily carnivores, feeding on small invertebrates. Most inhabit littoral or shallow shelf environments, although some deep benthic (and some freshwater) species are also known. Many are known to be protogynous sequential hermaphrodites, and males have not yet been reported for several species. Fewer than 600 species of anthurideans have been named, but many remain undescribed. Four families of Anthuridea are currently recognized, distinguished primarily by characters of the mouthparts and pleon: Hyssuridae, Antheluridae, Anthuridae, Paranthuridae — the latter two occur in California waters.

Key to Intertidal Species of Anthuridea