Key to Stomatopods
from South Africa and Adjacent Mozambique
1.
- Telson lacking sharp
median carina (family Lysiosquillidae).........2
- Telson with sharp
median carina...........7
2.
- Entire dorsal surface
of telson covered with small spinules...........Nannosquilla
hystricotelson
- Dorsal surface of
telson not covered with small spinules...........3
3.
- Dorsal surface of
telson with fan-shaped row of 5 spines..............Acanthosquilla
acanthocarpus
- Dorsal suiface of
telson lacking fan-shaped row of 5 spines...............4
4.
- Sixth abdominal somite
with sharp posterolateral angles and I pair of posterior
spines..... Heterosquilla insignis
- Sixth abdominal somite
unarmed............5
5.
- AntennaL scale oval,
less than twice as long as broad; anterior margin of
antennal protopod lacking projection; ventral keel of 8th
thoracic somite rounded............Lysiosquilla
maculata
- Antennal scale slender
elongate, more than twice as long as broad; anterior
margin of antennal protopod with projection; ventral keel
of 8th thoracic somite acute, sharp
posteriorly............. 6
6.
- Rostral plate lacking
median carina; ventral surface of uropodal protopod with
slender spine at articulation of endopod
.................1. Lysiosquilla capensts
- Rostral plate with
median caiina; ventral surface of uropodal protopod
lacking spine at articulation of endopod
..........................2. Lysiosquilla
tredecimdentata
7.
- All 4 pairs of marginal
teeth of telson with movable apices (family
Bathysquillidae)...Bathysquilla crassispinosa
- No more than I pair of
marginal teeth of telson with movable apices.....8
8.
- Telson with no more
than 2 intermediate marginal denticles (family
Gonodactylidae)...9
- Telson with 4 or more
intermediate marginal denticles (family Squillidae)....13
9.
- Rostral plate unarmed
anteriorly; dactylus of cliw with teeth on inner
margin.....10
- Rostral plate with
anterior spine; dactylus of claw unarmed...11
10.
- Dactylus of claw
inflated basally; eyes subglobular, cornea broader than
stalk; telson with 5 pairs of dorsal carinae in addition
to median carina.............. 3. Odontodactylus
scyllarus
- Dactylus of claw rot
inflated; eyes slender, cornea not noticeably expanded;
telson with 3 pairs of carinae in addition to median
carina........... Pseudosquilla ciliata
11.
- Dorsal surface of
telson covered with numerous small tubercles and
spinules....Gonodactylus lanchesteri
- Dorsal surface of
telson with at most I posterior spinule on each dorsal
carina....... 12
12.
- Dorsal surface of
telson with 3 central carinae; no angular lobe present
between spines of basal prolongation of
uropod...............4. Gonodactylus chiragra
- Dorsal surface of
telson with 5 central carinae; angular lobe present
between spines of basal prolongation of
uropod................5. Gonodactylus falcatus
13.
- Carapace deeply
excavate posterolaterally; raptorial claw with erect
spines on propodus...6. Harpiosquilla harpax
- Carapace rounded
posterolaterally; propodus of raptorial claw pectinate
.............14
14.
- Eyes very small, cornea
not as broad as stalk; ocular scales fused medially.
..... 7. Clorida latreillei
- Eyes large or small,
cornea broader than stalk; ocular scales
separate.................15
15.
- Ocular scales each
produced into an erect dorsal spine ....8. Plerygosquilla
armata capensis, new subspecies
- Ocular scales not
produced into an erect dorsal spine....16
16.
- Lateral process of 5th
thoracic somite a single spine.......17
- Lateral process of 5th
thoracic somite bilobed.............18
17.
- Submedian teeth of
telson with movable apices; dactylus of claw with 4
teeth.....9. Meiosquilla desmarestii
- Submedian teeth of
telson with fixed apices; dactylus of claw with 6 teeth.
. . 10. Squilloides lata
18.
- Lateral process of 5th
thoracic somite with posterior lobe broadly rounded; 2
rounded lobes present between spines of basal
prolongation of uropod ......... Alima hyalina
- Lateral process of 5th
thoracic somite with posterior lobe acute or spiniform,
not broadly rounded; no more than 1 rounded lobe present
between spines of basal prolongation of uropod.......19
19.
- Cornea set transversely
on stalk............20
- Cornea set obliquely on
stalk................21
20.
- Median carina of
carapace simple; submedian carinae of 4th abdominal
somite terminating in spines................Oratosquilla
nepa
- Median carina of
carapace finely bicarinatc; subtiiedian carinae of 4th
abdominal somite unarmed ............11. Oratosquilla
holoschista
21.
- Lateral process of 5th
thoracic somite composed of 2 sharp spines; lateral
carinae of abdomen bicarinate ..........12. Oratosquilla
mikado
- Lateral process of 5th
thoracic soinite not composed of 2 sharp spines; 1ateral
carinae of abdomen not bicarinate............... 22
22.
- Dactylus of raptorial
claw with 10-18 teeth; cornea width one-third length of
carapace....Oratosquilla investigatoris
- Dactylus of claw with
no more than 6 teeth; cornea width less than one-third
length of carapace...... 23
23.
- Anterior width of
carapace more than one-half median length; anterior
bifurcation of median carina of carapace obsolete;
dactylus of claw with 6 teeth ............ Oratosquilla
woodmasoni
- Anterior width of
carapace less than one-half median length; anterior
bifurcation of median carina of carapace well formed;
dactylus of claw with 5 teeth ........... 13.
Oratosquilla gonypetes
REFERENCE:
Manning RB 1969. Notes on
some stomatopod crustacea from South Africa. Smith Cont Zool #1
Web Site Author: A. Sunjian
Site Created February 3, 1998
Site Dedication
Introduction |
Biology |
Taxonomy |
References |
Researchers |
Care & Rearing |
Pest Control |
Stomatopod Logs |
Stomatopod Pics |
Stomatopods in Film |
Stomatopods in Fiction |
External Links