Phreatoicoid Isopoda

Code OR039999

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. Phreatoicopsidae have a relatively long head with a small ridge at the posteroventral corner. The telson is rounded, with lateral lobes, and the uropods are small and ventral. Epigeic.

Horwitz et al. (1995) treat Phreatoicopsidae as a separate family. Wilson (1999) classifies it within the family Amphisopidae (as Amphisopodidae).

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