Phreatoicoid Isopoda

Code OR059999

Elongate isopods belonging to the suborder Phreatoicidea: with a six-segmented pleon (5 visible abdominal segments plus the telson) and uropods that assist in movement by flicking or pushing the animal forward. The family is distinguished from other Phreatoicidea by one mandible lacking a lacinia mobilis (both mandibles have a lacinia mobilis in the other families). However, the Australian genera can be most readily identified to family level by the shape of the uropods and telson. In Phreatoicidae the telson is rounded, not cleft, with two lateral lobes forming rounded, setose projections, and the uropods are short, thick, and upturned.

References:

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: The Invertebrates of Australian Inland Waters. The Macmillan Company of Australia, Melbourne.

Wilson, G. D. ('Buz'). 1999. Preliminary phylogeny of the Phreatoicidea. Webpage at