Hyperiidea

Hyperiidea are a suborder of amphipods ( Amphipoda ).

Features

They are characterized by their large eyes, which are often the largest part of the head and of their often sphere-like shape.

Habitat and Distribution

In contrast to the other sub- systems of the amphipods the Hyperiidea are located exclusively in the sea where they live plankton table and steer clear of the coast.

Hyperiidea can be found in many oceans. 69 species are described in the Southern Ocean.

Nutrition

Most species feed on salps and jellyfish or parasitize on these. However Themisto gaudichaudii and some related species hunt copepods ( Copepoda ) and other floating in the plankton of a length up to their own body size.

Taxonomy

There are 233 described species.

These are provided in the following 20 families (sometimes also 23 families distinguished ):

• Lanceolidae
• Chuneolidae
• Microphasmidae
• Archaeoscinidae
• Scinidae
• Mimonectidae
• Proscinidae
• Cystisomatidae
• Vibiliidae
• Paraphronimidae
• Hyperiidae Jellyfish amphipod ( Hyperia galba )