Crustacea, the Higher Taxa

J.K. Lowry

Microcerberidea (Isopoda, Peracarida, Malacostraca)

Description. Head. Rostrum absent; eyes absent; eyes ocular scale absent; eyes naupliar eyes absent. Antennules (antenna 1) uniramous; peduncle and flagellum indistinguishable; exopod reduced, vestigial or absent; statocyst absent. Antennae (antenna 2) uniramous; exopod multiarticulate. Mandible uniramous; palp present, or absent. Maxillipeds, 1 pair; uniramous. Thorax. Carapace absent. Thorax and abdomen differentiated. Peraeopods (legs) 7 pairs, or 6 pairs; uniramous; non-phyllopodous; differentiated (some prehensile). Peraeopod 1 (leg 1) subchelate. Peraeopod 2 (leg 2) simple. Peraeopod 3 (leg 3) simple. Abdomen with 5 somites or with 4 somites or with 3 somites or with 1-2 somites. Epimera absent. Pleopods present, 5 pairs to 3 pairs; reduced; pleopod 2 forming a gonopod (eg. appendix masculina) in males. Uropods well developed, 1 pair, positioned terminally or subterminally; rami present (uniramous), exopod without diaresis; endopod without statocyst. Telson fused to pleon (pleotelson).

Larval development. Epimorphic. Embryos carried in ventral thoracic brood pouch.

Habitat. Marine; freshwater, interstitial.

Remarks. Minute, usually less than 3 mm long.

Distribution. Eastern Pacific; South America; Africa; Medeterranean; India.
