Sand fleas

Code OP040000

The antennules are longer than the antennae; the accessory flagellum of the antennules is small and 1-segmented. The three uropods are approximately equal in length. The two rami of the third uropod are approximately equal. The dactylus of pereopod 7 is long and setose, making pereopod 7 longer than pereopod 6. Urosomites 2 and 3 (abdominal segments 5-6) are fused into a single segment (contrast Eusiridae).

Williams (1980) records this family from NSW, Victoria., and Tasmania. Barnard and Drummond (1992) describe them as amphipods of shorelines. Horwitz et al (1995) say "very widely distributed in inland waters of southern Australia, particularly Victoria and Tasmania". But Bradbury and Williams (1999) record only two inland aquatic species (one from Tasmania, King Island, and Victoria, the other from Tasmania).

References:

Barnard, J. L., and M. M. Drummond (1992) Paraclliope, a genus of Australian shorelines (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Paracalliopiidae). Memoirs of the Museum of Victoria 53(1):1-29.

Bradbury, J. H., and W. D. Williams. (1999) Key to and checklist of the inland aquatic amphipods of Australia . Technical reports of the Australian Museum, number 14.

Horwitz, P., Knott, B. and Williams, W.D. (1995) A Preliminary Key to the Malacostracan Families (Crustacea) found in Australian Inland Waters . Co-operative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology Identification Guide No. 4., Albury, NSW.

Williams, W. D. (1980) Australian Freshwater Life . Macmillan.