Flabellifera
Eurydice affinis
As Flabellifera an obsolete taxon within the scheme of isopods ( Isopoda ) is called. This comprised the second largest suborder of isopods more than 3000 different species. However, it turned out that the group is not to be regarded as monophyletic. Therefore, their families have been allocated to the newly established submissions Cymothoida, Limnoriidea, Sphaeromatidea and the two smaller sub-orders Phoratopidea and Tainisopidea from 2003. At the same time Cymothoida were combined with other previous submissions. The new system is not yet established everywhere and therefore the Flabellifera play pending resolution of the phylogenetic relationships of some sub-groups still play a role in many documents and presentations on the scheme.
Features
The body is elongated, its length varies from a few millimeters for the wood-boring Limnoriidae up to 45 centimeters at the giant isopods of the deep sea. At the end of the abdomen form one to five free segments the Pleon to this you'll find the Pleotelson as financial statements. This is striking long and wide at the Flabellifera and, together with the side springing uropods a fan-shaped attachment that Flabellum is called and gave the group its name.
The eyes are usually large and well developed, with cave-dwelling and deep-sea species but they are re-formed or missing. Suitable The mouthparts are usually robust and cut for, rasps and occasionally to pierce. The first and second maxillae are biramose. A rostrum is not formed.
The walking legs are similar generally in the form, at the Serolidae, some Cirolanidae and Sphaeromatidae species the front pair may be equipped with Schreren or gripping tools. The five pairs of wide and flat abdomen legs ( pleopods ) are well developed, the second pleopods form the gonopodium in males.
Occurrence and life
The Flabellifera are common in seawater, brackish water and fresh water worldwide. Some families are predators or scavengers as, such as the Cirolanidae, Corallanidae and Serolidae, others are temporarily parasitic as the types of Aegidae family, others permanently live as parasites on and in fish, are known to the representatives of the family Cymothoidae including the type Cymothoa exigua.
Species of the family Limnoriidae drill in algae and wood, this includes the Holzbohrassel Limnoria lignorum that lives both in, as well as from the wood of ships and port facilities. The digestion of cellulose and lignin occurs through the formation of own enzymes and not, as in many other organisms with the help of symbiotic bacteria. The Sphaeromatidae are also herbivores and feed on diatoms and detritus.
System
Families
Pending revision of Flabellifera in 2003, the group consisted of 18 families:
- Aegidae White, 1850
- Ancinidae Dana, 1852
- Anuropidae Stebbing, 1893
- Bathynataliidae Kensley, 1978
- Cirolanidae Dana, 1852
- Corallanidae Hansen, 1890
- Cymothoidae Leach, 1814
- Hadromastacidae Bruce & Müller, 1991
- Keuphyliidae Bruce, 1980
- Limnoriidae White, 1850
- Phoratopodidae Hale, 1925
- Protognathiidae Wägele & Brandt, 1988
- Plakarthriidae Hansen, 1905
- Serolidae Dana, 1852
- Sphaeromatidae Latreille, 1825
- Tainisopidae Wilson, 2003
- Tecticipitidae Bruce, 1993
- Tridentellidae Bruce, 1984
Division
The families of Flabellifera 2003 were divided into the following five new suborders of isopods:
- Subordination Sphaeromatidea Superfamily Sphaeromatoidea Family Ancinidae
- Family Sphaeromatidae
- Family Tecticipitidae
- Family Basserolidae
- Family Bathynataliidae
- Family Plakarthriidae
- Family Serolidae
- Superfamily Limnorioidea Family Hadromastacidae
- Family Keuphyliidae
- Family Limnoriidae
- Family Phoratopodidae
- Family Tainisopidae
- Superfamily Cymothooidea Family Aegidae
- Family Anuropidae
- Family Barybrotidae (contains only Barybrotes indus )
- Family Cirolanidae
- Family Corallanidae
- Family Cymothoidae
- Family Gnathiidae
- Family Protognathiidae
- Family Tridentellidae
The Gnathiidae family originates from the earlier subordination Gnathiidea. To superfamily Cymothooidea within the Cymothoida nor the superfamilies Bopyroidea and Cryptoniscoidea come up with the families of the former Epicaridea. Another superfamily of Cymothoida are the Anthuroidea, consisting of the families of the previous submission Anthuridea.