Melitidae Bousfield 1973
Creators: name: Myers, A
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Malacostraca
Amphipoda
Melitidae

description: Melitidae Bousfield, 1973
Type genus. Melita Leach, 1814.
Diagnostic description. Body laterally compressed. Eyes well developed, poorly developed or absent, if present then round, ovoid or reniform. Antennae 1–2 calceoli absent. Antenna 1 subequal in length to, or longer than antenna 2; peduncular article 1 shorter than, subequal to, or longer than article 2; article 2 longer than article 3; article 3 shorter than article 1; peduncular articles 1–2 or 2–3 not geniculate; accessory flagellum long, short or minute. Antenna 2 peduncular article 1 not enlarged. Mandible molar triturative, non-triturative or with tiny triturating patch; palp symmetrical. Maxilla 1 inner plate setose along medial margin; palp symmetrical. Maxilla 2 with or without oblique setal row. Labium inner lobes present. Coxal gills number and sequence [not known], stalked (with or without proximal restriction or complete suture) or not stalked; sternal gills absent; sternal blisters absent; oostegites fringing setae simple. Gnathopod 1 subchelate; similar in males and females (not sexually dimorphic); smaller (or weaker) than gnathopod 2, or similar in size to gnathopod 2; propodus palm without robust setae along palmar margin. Gnathopod 2 subchelate; dissimilar in males and females (sexually dimorphic); carpus slightly produced along posterior margin of propodus or not produced along posterior margin of propodus, projecting between merus and carpus. Pereopods 3–4 not sexually dimorphic. Pereopod 4 with well developed or small posteroventral lobe or without posteroventral lobe. Pereopod 5 shorter than pereopod 6; coxa with large or small anteroventral lobe. Pereopod 7 longer than pereopod 5. Pleonites 1–3 without dorsal carinae. Urosomites 1–3 free; with slender or robust dorsal setae. Urosomite 1 without large distoventral robust seta. Urosomite 2 with pair of dorsal concavities each with 1–3 small setae. Uropod 1 with or without basofacial robust seta (robust or simple). Uropod 3 not sexually dimorphic; biramous; inner ramus minute. Telson deeply cleft; dorsal or lateral robust setae present; apical robust setae present.
Habitat. Freshwater, marine, hypogean, epigean.
Included genera. Abludomelita Karaman, 1981b; Allomelita Stock, 1984 a; Alsacomelita Karaman, 1984e; Anamaera Thomas & Barnard, 1985; Anchialella J.L. Barnard, 1979; Brachina Barnard & Williams, 1995; Caledopisa Stock & Iliffe, 1995; Carnarimelita Bousfield, 1990; Cottarellia Ruffo, 1994; Desdimelita Jarrett & Bousfield, 1996; Dulichiella Stout, 1912; Galapsiellus J.L. Barnard, 1976; Josephosella Ruffo, 1985; Megamoera Bate, 1862; Melita Leach, 1814; Melitoides Gurjanova, 1934; Nainaloa Karaman & Barnard, 1979; Nurina Bradbury & Eberhard, 2000; Quasimelita Jarrett & Bousfield, 1996; Rotomelita J.L. Barnard, 1977; Sriha Stock, 1988 (new name for Quadrus Karaman, 1984e); Tegano Barnard & Karaman, 1982; Verdeia Lowry & Springthorpe, 2007.
Distribution. Cosmopolitan.
description: Published as part of Myers, A, 2013, A Phylogeny and Classification of the Senticaudata subord. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda), pp. 1-80 in Zootaxa 3610 (1) on page 37, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3610.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/283309