AMEIRIDAE Monard, 1927, emend. Lang, 1936
The family Ameiridae presently contains more than 300 species and subspecies accomodated in 40 genera [Ameira, Boeck, Proameira Lang, Nitokra Boeck, Psyllocamptus T. Scott, Ameiropsis Sars, Pseudameira Sars, Leptomesochra Sars, Nitocrella Chappuis, Neonitocrella Lee & Huys, Novanitocrella Karanovic, Stygonitocrella Reid et al., Sarsameira Wilson, Archinitocrella Karanovic, Abnitocrella Karanovic, Sicameira Klie, Psammameira Noodt, Pseudoleptomeochra Lang, Pseudoleptomesochrella Lang, Hirtaleptomesochra Karanovic, Interleptomesochra Lang, Parapseudoleptomesochra Lang, Praeleptomesochra Lang, Parevansula Guille & Soyer, Paraleptomesochra Wells, Parameiropsis Becker, Limameira Soyer, Styonitocrella Petkovski, Nitocrellopsis Petkovski, Ameiropsyllus Bodin, Pseudoameiropsis Pallares, Psammonitocrella Rouch, Psammoleptomesochra Mielke, Stenocopia Sars, Raoleptomesochra Karanovicv, Malacopsyllus Sars, Biameiropsis Karanovic, Anoplosoma Sars, Haifameira Por, Filexilia Conroy-Dalton & Huys, Glabrameira Conroy-Dalton & Huys, Inermipes Lee & Huys]
The genus Karllangia Noodt, 1964, formerly included in the family Ameiridae, has been recently removed to Parastenheliidae Lang, 1944 (Willen, 2000).
Representatives of this family inhabit a wide range of environments, from marine to freshwater, subterranean habitat included, sediments. Numerous species live as well as in hot springs or in association with other invertebrates (flatworms, crabs, crayfishes, isopods).
The family has a marine origin, but successfully radiated in fresh waters and subterranean habitats, as exemplified by most species of the genera Nitocrella, Stygonitocrella, Nitocrellopsis, Psammonitocrella and Parapseudoleptomesochra, which regularly can be found in inland and anchialine caves, karstic systems and other groundwater environments. Other amerids have occupied more specialized environments, such as the hyporheic zones of rivers, other ones entered into symbiotic relationships with a wide range of invertebrate hosts (Boxshall & Jaume (2000)
From a taxonomical point of view, several genera are not well defined, and the entire family requires review (Conroy-Dalton & Huys,1996; Lee & Huys, 2002).
 Abnitocrella Karanovic, 2006
Ameira Boeck, 1865
Ameiropsis Sars, 1907
Ameiropsyllus Bodin, 1979
Anoplosoma Sars, 1911
Archinitocrella Karanovic, 2006
Biameiropsis Karanovic, 2006
Filexilia Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 1996
Glabrameira Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 1996
Haifameira Por, 1964
Hirtaleptomesochra Karanovic, 2004
Inermipes Lee & Huys, 2002
Interleptomesochra Lang, 1965
Leptomesochra Sars, 1911
Limameira Soyer, 1975
Malacopsyllus Sars,1911
Neonitocrella Lee & Huys, 2002
Nitocrella Chappuis,1923 sensu Petkovski, 1976
Nitocrellopsis Galassi, De Laurentiis & Dole-Olivier, 1999
Nitokra Boeck,1864
Novanitocrella Karanovic, 2004
Paraleptomesochra Wells, 1967
Parameiropsis Becker, 1974
Parapseudoleptomesochra Lang,1965
Parevansula Guille & Soyer, 1966
Praeleptomesochra Lang,1965
Proameira Lang, 1948
Psammoleptomesochra Mielke, 1994
Psammameira Noodt, 1952
Psammonitocrella Rouch, 1992 *
Pseudameira Sars, 1911
Pseudoameiropsis Pallares, 1982
Pseudoleptomeochra Lang, 1965
Pseudoleptomesochrella Lang,1965
Psyllocamptus Scott,1899
Raoleptomesochra Karanovic, 2004
Sarsameira Wilson, 1924
Sicameira Klie, 1950
Stenocopia Sars, 1907 Stygonitocrella Reid, Hunt & Stanley, 2003
*
Martinez Arbizu & Moura (1994), on account of the armature of male leg 1, suggested that this genus could be better related to Parastenocarididae than to Ameiridae. Later on, Lee & Huys (2002) suggested to reallocate the genus to the family Ameiridae, on account of the structure of leg 5, the presence of separate genital and abdominal segments in mature female, and the absence of a sexually dimorphic medial basal spine on leg 1.
PSYLLOCAMPTUS T. A. Scott, 1899
Psyllocamptus bermudae Willey, 1930 [Bermuda; mangroves]
Psyllocamptus carolinensis Lindgren, 1975 [USA; beaches]
Psyllocamptus eridani Ceccherelli, 1988 [north Italy; brackish waters]
Psyllocamptus fuegiensis Pallares, 1982 [Argentina; psammon] +
Psyllocamptus longisetosus Kunz, 1975 [Africa; coastal sea] +
Psyllocamptus minutus minutus Sars, 1911 [Egypt, Melanesia; lakes]
Psyllocamptus minutus gelatinosus (Kunz, 1975) [Africa; coastal sea]
Psyllocamptus monachus Chappuis,1938 [Italy, France; caves]
Psyllocamptus propinquus (T. Scott, 1895) [Europe, marine, amongst littoral algae, brackish waters]
Psyllocamptus quadrospinosus Kunz, 1975 [Africa; coastal sea] +
Psyllocamptus quinquiespinosus Coull, 1970 [Jamaica; sea] +
Psyllocamptus triarticulatus Lang, 1965 [USA; marine, tidal pools]+
+ Kunz (1975) created the subgenus Langpsyllocamptus for these species.
STENOCOPIA Sars, 1907
Stenocopia antarctica Lang, 1948
Stenocopia limicola Willey, 1935 [Bermuda, Galapagos; marine interstiial]
Stenocopia longicaudata longicaudata T. Scott, 1892 [Europe, Egypt; sea and brackish waters]
Stenocopia longicaudata pontica Grica, 1962 [Black sea]
Stenocopia longiseta Bozic, 1964 [Reunion; interstitial]
Stenocopia reducta Cottarelli, Saporito & Puccetti, 1986 [THailand; interstitial]
Stenocopia sarsi Mielke, 1997 [Galapagos; marine interstitial]
Stenocopia setosa Sars, 1907
Stenocopia spinosa (T. Scott., 1892) [Ireland, Norway; marine sublittoral sand]
PRAELEPTOMESOCHRA Lang, 1965
Praeleptomesochra africana (Kunz, 1951) [Africa, Bermuda; marine interstitial]
Praeleptomesochra phreatica Pesce 1981 [Africa, Morocco; wells] [PDF]
Praeleptomesochra pygmaea (Vervoort, 1964) [Carolina Islands; marine interstitial]
Praeleptomesochra similis Lang, 1965 [USA; tidal pools]
INTERLEPTOMESOCHRA Lang, 1965
Interleptomesochra attenuata (A. Scott, 1896) [north Europe:marine interstitial]
Interleptomeochra boguensis Lindgren, 1975 [USA; marine interstitial]
Interleptomeochra elongata (Bozic, 1955) [France; marine interstitial]
Interleptomeochra eulitoralis (Noodt, 1952) [Europe, Israel; marine interstitial]
Interleptomeochra noodti (Galhano, 1968) [Portugal;marine interstitial]
Interleptomeochra reducta Lang, 1965 [USA; marine interstitial]
Interleptomeochra tenuicornis (Sars, 1911) [Europe; marine interstitial]
PSAMMOLEPTOMESOCHRA Mielke, 1994
Psammoleptomesochra australis Mielke, 1994 [Chile; psammon]
PSAMMAMEIRA Noodt, 1952 [PDF]
Psammameira exigua Lang, 1948
Psammameira grandis (Nicholls, 1940)
Psammameira hyalina Noodt, 1952 [Europe; marine interstitial] [PDF]
Psammameira parasimulans (Lang, 1965) [USA; marine interstitial] [PDF]
Psammameira reducta Wells, 1967 [Mozambico, psammon]
Psammameira simulans (Lang, 1948)
PSEUDOLEPTOMESOCHRELLA Lang, 1965
Pseudoleptomesochrella bisetosa Lindgren, 1975 [north America; psammon]
Pseudoleptomesochrella brevifurca (Wells, 1961) [Bulgaria; marine] **
Pseudoleptomesochrella halophila (Noodt, 1952) [Europe; brackish surface and ground waters]
Pseudoleptomesochrella incerta (Chappuis & Del. Deboutteville, 1956) [Bahamas; psammon]
Pseudoleptomesochrella marina (Chappuis & Rouch, 1961) [Africa; psammon]
Pseudoleptomesochrella pontica Apostolov, 1969 [Bulgaria; psammon] *
Pseudoleptomesochrella venezolana Mielke, 1995 [Venezuela; psammon]
* species inquirenda
** According to Mielke (1975) and Marinov (1973) the separation of Pseudoleptomesochrella brevifurca and Pseudoleptomesochrella pontica is questionable.
PARAPSEUDOLEPTOMESOCHRA Lang, 1965
Parapseudoleptomesochra almohadensis Rouch, 1986 [Spain; hyporheic]
Parapseudoleptomesochra almoravidensis Rouch, 1986 [Spain; hyporheic]
Parapseudoleptomesochra attirei Dumont, 1984 [Africa; psammon] [PDF]
Parapseudoleptomesochra baeticola Rouch, 1986 [Spain; phreatic, well]
Parapseudoleptomesochra balnearia Rouch, 1986 [Spain; thermal waters]
Parapseudoleptomesochra botosaneanui (Petkovski, 1973) [Cuba, interstitial]
Parapseudoleptomesochra cf. botosaneanui (Petkovski, 1973) (in: Suarez-Morales et al., 1996) [Yucatan; cenotes]
Parapseudoleptomesochra dubia Kunz, 1975 [Africa; psammon]
Parapseudoleptomesochra fernandezi Rouch, 1986 [Spain; hyporheic]
Parapseudoleptomesochra guadalhorcensis Rouch, 1986 [Spain;hyporheic]
Parapseudoleptomesochra hellenica Pesce, 1982 [Greece; anchialine] [PDF]
Parapseudoleptomesochra herirudensis (Sterba, 1973) [Afghanistan; intertitial]
Parapseudoleptomesochra incerta (Chappuis, 1933) [West Indies; spring interstitial]
Parapseudoleptomesochra iranica (Loffler, 1959 [Iran; interstitial]
Parapseudoleptomesochra italica Pesce & Petkovski, 1980 [Italy, Switzerland, Romania (Movile cave); spring and anchialine waters] [MAP OF DISTRIBUTION] [PDF]
Parapseudoleptomesochra karamani Karanovic, 2004 [W-Australia; ground waters]
Parapseudoleptomesochra mielkei Karanovic, 2004 [W-Australia; ground waters]
Parapseudoleptomesochra minoricae (Chappuis & Rouch, 1960) [Europe; Algeria; hyporheic]
Parapseudoleptomesochra morimotoi (Miura, 1962) [Japan; interstitial]
Parapseudoleptomesochra ommeyyadensis Rouch, 1986 [Spain; hyporheic]
Parapseudoleptomesochra polychaeta (Noodt, 1952) [Europe; psammon]
Parapseudoleptomesochra pristina Wells, 1967 [Africa; psammon]
Parapseudoleptomesochra rouchi Karanovic, 2004 [W-Australia; ground waters]
Parapseudoleptomesochra subterranea subterranea (Chappuis, 1928) [Europe, Mexico; ground waters]
Parapseudoleptomesochra subterranea deminuta (Chappuis, 1928) [France; ground waters]
Parapseudoleptomesochra syriaca Cottarelli et al., 1985 [Syria; wells]
Parapseudoleptomesochra tridens Bozic, 1969 [Reunion; anchialine?]
Parapseudoleptomesochra trisetosa trisetosa (Krishnaswamy, 1957) [India, Venezuela; psammon]
Parapseudoleptomesochra trisetosa waltairensis Rao & Ganapati, 1969 [India; psammon]; could be synonym of Parapseudoleptomesochra trisetosa (Mielke,1995)
Parapseudoleptomesochra tureei Karanovic, 2006 [Australia; bores]
NITOCRELLOPSIS Galassi, De Laurentiis & Dole-Olivier, 1999 [PDF]
The genus Nitocrellopsis, established by Petkovski (1976) to accomodate Nitocrella species distinguishable by 3-segmented endopod of legs 2-3, and 2-segmented endopod of leg 4, presently includes nine species, all stigobitic, living in different groundwater habitats (caves, wells, karstic springs). However, since Petkovski's (1976) establishment of the genus was based on poor description, without designation of type-species, Galassi et al. (1999) provided an emended generic diagnosis, together with type-species designation to make available the generic name. The same problem arises also for Stygonitocrella Petkovski without designation of type-species.
Nitocrellopsis ahaggarensis Fiers & Iliffe, 2000 [USA; ground waters] [PDF]
Nitocrellopsis elegans (Chappuis & Rouch, 1959) [France, cave waters]
Nitocrellopsis hellenica (Cottarelli & Forniz, 1993) [Greece; anchialine waters]
Nitocrellopsis hippocratis (Cottarelli & Forniz, 1993) [Greece; ground waters]
Nitocrellopsis intermedia (Chappuis, 1937) [Balkan Peninsula; different ground water habitats]
Nitocrellopsis ioneli (Dumont & Decraemer, 1974) [Africa, Morocco; saline spring]
Nitocrellopsis petkovskii (Rouch, 1987) [Africa, Algerie; wells]
Nitocrellopsis rouchi Galassi, De Laurentiis & Dole-Olivier, 1999 [France; phreatic waters] [PDF]
Nitocrellopsis texana Fiers & Iliffe, 2000 [USA; ground waters] [PDF]
| KEY TO SPECIES OF NITOCRELLOPSIS |
STYGONITOCRELLA Reid, Hunt & Stanley, 2003
Type species: Stygonitocrella montana (Noodt, 1965)
 | | | |
Recently,
Based on the current limits of Stygonitocrella, Suarez-Morales & Iliffe (2005) proposed two new subgenera of Stygonitocrella to recognize different morphological patterns based on the presence or absence of an inner baseoendopodal lobe in the female fifth leg. This lobe is absent in the subgenus Eustygonitocrella, it is present in the subgenus Fiersiella [left: S. (E.) mexicana)]. |
Stygonitocrella (Eustygonitocrella) bispinosa Karanovic, 2006 [Australia; bores]
Stygonitocrella (Fiersiella) colchica (Borutzky & Mikhailova-Neikova, 1970) [URSS, caves]
Stygonitocrella (Eustygonitocrella) djirgalanica Borutzky, 1978 [Siberia, Russia; ground waters]
Stygonitocrella (Fiersiella) dubia (Chappuis, 1937) [Spain; caves]
Stygonitocrella (Eustygonitocrella) guadalfensis Rouch, 1985 [Spain; hyporheic]
Stygonitocrella (Fiersiella) karamani (Petkovski, 1959) [Yugoslavia; ground waters]
Stygonitocrella (Fiersiella) ljovuschkini (Borutzky, 1967) [Caucaso; ground waters]
Stygonitocrella (Eustygonitocrella) mexicana Suarez-Morales & Iliffe (2005 [Mexico; ground waters] [PDF]
Stygonitocrella (Eustygonitocrella) montana (Noodt, 1965) [south America; ground waters]
Stygonitocrella (Eustygonitocrella) orghidani (Petkovski 1973) [Cuba, caves] *
Stygonitocrella (Fiersiella) petkovskii Pesce, 1985 [Greece:Lesbos; wells] [PDF]
Stygonitocrella (Eustygonitocrella) pseudotianshanica (Sterba, 1973) [Afghanistan; hyporheic]
Stygonitocrella (Fiersiella) sequoyahi Reid, Hunt & Stanley, 2003 [U.S.A.; ground waters] [PDF]
Stygonitocrella (Eustygonitocrella) tianschanica (Borutzky, 1972) [URSS, lake interstitial]
Stygonitocrella (Eustygonitocrella) trispinosa Karanovic, 2006 [Australia; bores]
Stygonitocrella (Eustygonitocrella) unispinosa Karanovic, 2006 [Australia; bores]
* This species, on account of the fused endopod and exopod of leg 5, could be not appropriately included in this genus. [Species incertae sedis (Reid et al., 2003)]
| KEY TO SPECIES OF STYGONITOCRELLA |[PDF]
NITOCRELLA Chappuis,1923 sensu Petkovski, 1976
Chappuis (1924) established the genus Nitocrella for the species N. hirta, from two different localities in Serbia.
The first revision of the genus was made by Lang (1965), who established 3 new genera: Parapseudoleptomesochra, Paraleptomesochra and Pseudoleptomesochrella.
Later on Petkovski (1976) reviewed the systematics of the genus Nitocrella Chappuis s.l., and two new genera were created: Stygonitocrella and Nitocrellopsis; moreover, in that review the author divided the genus Nitocrella Chappuis s. str. into the following groups, according to the setation of the terminal segment of the P4 exopodite: the "vasconica"-group (with 6 setae), the "chappuisi"-group (with 5 setae), and the "hirta"-group (with 3 or 4 setae).
The "hirta"-group is the smallest one, and quite homogeneous, both from a systematic and biogeographical point of view. Petkovski (1976) reported eight species and subspecies in this group, although he did not recognize two subspecies of N. hirta which were described earlier (N. h. bucarestiensis Damian & Botosaneanu, 1954, and N. h. caucasica Borutzky, 1967). The "hirta"-group now includes 18 species, all from south and central Europe, and from the Caucasus.
The genus presently includes 61 valid species and subspecies.
Nitocrella absentia Karanovic, 2004 [W-Australia; ground waters]
Nitocrella achaiae Pesce, 1982 [Greece, Italy; wells] [PDF]
Nitocrella aestuarina Coull & Bell, 1979 [USA; brackish waters]
Nitocrella afghanica Sterba, 1973 [Afghanistan; ground waters]
Nitocrella africana Chappuis, 1955 [Tanganika; lake interstitial]
Nitocrella aktereki Borutzky, 1978 [Tyan Shan; ground waters]
Nitocrella asiatica (Sterba, 1967) [Asia; ground waters]
Nitocrella beatricis Cottarelli & Bruno, 1994 [Italy, Sardinia; hyporheic] [PDF]
Nitocrella botosaneanui Petkovski, 1973 [Cuba; caves]
Nitocrella calcaripes Damian & Botosaneanu, 1954 [Europe; ground waters]
Nitocrella caraioni Petkovski, 1976 [Cuba; caves]
Nitocrella chappuisi Kiefer, 1926 [Germany; aqueducts]
Nitocrella cubanorum Petkovski, 1976 [Cuba; caves]
Nitocrella delayi Rouch, 1970 [France; ground waters]
Nitocrella dussarti Chappuis & Rouch, 1959 [France; caves]
Nitocrella ensifera Cottarelli, Bruno & Berera, 2007 [Italy; ground waters] [PDF]
Nitocrella fedelitae Pesce, 1985 [central Italy; wells] [PDF]
Nitocrella gracilis Chappuis, 1955 [France, ground waters]
Nitocrella hirta hirta Chappuis, 1923 [Europe; ground waters]
Nitocrella hirta caucasica Borutzky, 1967 [Caucaso; ground waters]
Nitocrella hirta var. bucarestiensis Damian & Botosanenau, 1954 [Romania; ground waters]
Nitocrella hofmilleri Brehm, 1953 [Austria; ground waters]
Nitocrella hypogaea Shen & Tai, 1973 [China9; caves]
Nitocrella jankovskajae Borutzky, 1972 [URSS, caves]
Nitocrella japonica Miura, 1962 [Japan; ground waters]
Nitocrella juturna Cottarelli, 1975 [central Italy; wells]
Nitocrella kirgizica Borutzky, 1972 [URSS, caves]
Nitocrella kosswigi Noodt, 1954 [Romania, Turkey; ground waters]
Nitocrella kunzi Galassi & De Laurentiis 1997 [central Italy; interstitial] [PDF]
Nitocrella kyzylkumica Borutzky, 1972 [URSS; ground waters]
Nitocrella longa Karanovic, 2000 [Montenegro; cave waters]
Nitocrella maggii Pesce, 1983 [Grece; wells] [PDF]
Nitocrella mara Loffler, 1959 [Iran; interstitial]
Nitocrella monchenkoi Borutzky, 1972 [URSS, caves]
Nitocrella morettii Pesce, 1984 [central Italy; wells] [PDF]
Nitocrella motasi Petkovski, 1976 [Cuba; caves]
Nitocrella nana Sterba, 1973 [Afghanistan; ground waters]
Nitocrella negreai Petkovski, 1973 [Cuba; caves]
Nitocrella neutra Kiefer, 1933 [Makedonia, ground waters]
Nitocrella obesa Karanovic, 2004 [W-Australia; ground waters]
Nitocrella omega Hertzog, 1936 [Europe; ground waters]
Nitocrella paceae Pesce, 1980 [Iran; wells] [PDF]
Nitocrella pescei Galassi & De Laurentiis 1997 [central Italy, interstitial] [PDF]
Nitocrella petkovskii Pesce, 1980 [Iran; wells] [PDF]
Nitocrella psammophila Chappuis, 1954 [Europe; interstitial, wells]
Nitocrella rhodiensis Pesce, 1982 [Greece, Rhodos; wells] [PDF]
Nitocrella skyrensis Pesce, 1982 [Greece; wells] [PDF]
Nitocrella slovenica Petkovski, 1959 [Slovenia, Greece; ground waters]
Nitocrella somalica Dumont, 1981 [Africa, somalia; interstitial] [PDF]
Nitocrella spinulosa Apostolov, 1988 [Bulgaria; interstitial]
Nitocrella stammeri Chappuis, 1938 [Europe; caves, wells] [MAP OF DISTRIBUTION]
Nitocrella sterbai Borutzky, 1969 [URSS; hyporheic]
Nitocrella stetinai Sterba, 1973 [Afghanistan; ground waters]
Nitocrella stochi Pesce & Galassi, 1987 [north Italy, caves] [PDF]
Nitocrella tonsa Michailova-Neikova, 1967 [Bulgaria; ground waters]
Nitocrella trajani Karanovic, 2004 [W-Australia; ground waters]
Nitocrella tschatcalica Borutzky, 1978 [URSS; ground waters]
Nitocrella tirolensis (Kiefer, 1963) [Austria; ground waters]
Nitocrella unispinosa Shen & Tai, 1973 [China; grounds waters]
Nitocrella vasconica Chappuis, 1937 [Spain; caves]
Nitocrella yokotai Miura, 1962 [Japan; ground waters]
NOVANITOCRELLA Karanovic, 2004
Novanitocrella aboriginesi Karanovic, 2004 [W-Australia; ground waters]
PSAMMONITOCRELLA Rouch, 1992
This genus is characterized by the strong reduction of the armature in the distal exopod segments of P2 to P4.
Psammonitocrella boultoni Rouch, 1992 [USA; hyporheic]
Psammonitocrella longifurcata Rouch, 1992 [USA; hyporheic]
INERMIPES Lee & Huys, 2002 [PDF]
Inermipes humphreysi Lee & Huys, 2002 [W-Australia; ground waters] [PDF]
NEONITOCRELLA Lee & Huys, 2002 [PDF]
Neonitocrella insularis (Miura, 1962) [Japan; ground waters] [PDF]
RAOLEPTOMESOCHRA Karanovic, 2004
Raoleptomesochra reducta Rao, 1972 [India; psammon]
PSEUDOLEPTOMESOCHRA Lang, 1965
Pseudoleptomesochra typica Lang, 1965 [USA; coastal waters, interstitial]
BIAMEIROPSIS Karanovic, 2006
 | | | |
Large Ameiridae, with cyclindrical body, without distinct demarcation between prosome and urosome.
Biameiropsis barrowensis Karanovic, 2006 [Australia; bores] (left)
Biameiropsis abbreviata (Sars, 1911) |
ARCHINITOCRELLA Karanovic, 2006
Archinitocrella newmanensis Karanovic, 2006 [Australia; bores]
ABNITOCRELLA Karanovic, 2006
Abnitocrella halsei Karanovic, 2006 [Australia; bores]
Abnitocrella eberhardi Karanovic, 2006 [Australia; well]
[RELEVANT LITERATURE]
Page Updated June 24. 2008
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