Sand fleas

Code OP079999

One of three Australian families in the superfamily Crangonyctoidea, which are the dominant amphipods of cold, running freshwaters in Australia. Crangonycoidea can be distinguished from other Australian aquatic Amphipoda by a combination of features: (1) the antennules are the same length as or longer than the antennae; (2) the accessory flagellum of the antennule is conspicuous with 2 or more articles, although it is short; (3) all three uropods are well-developed; (4) the third uropod carries a 1-2 segmented outer ramus of which segment 2 may be well developed or very short, and almost always an inner ramus which often is shorter than the outer ramus; (5) the telson is cleft or notched (except in one species of Paramelitidae); (6) the mandible has a palp.

Neoniphargidae comprises 23 described species in eight genera. The antennules are distinctly longer than the antennae (a state found also in several species of Paramelitidae). The accessory flagellum of the antennule may have more than 2 (up to 8) articles. Sternal gills are sausage-shaped (8 spp.), dentritic (branching) (12 spp.) or lumpy (3 spp.). The gnathopods carry rugose posterior keels (contrast Paramelitidae).

Distribution: Mainly south-east Australia and Tasmania, with one species recorded from South Australia and two from south-west WA.

References:

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.