Artesiidae Holsinger, 1980

Myers, A, 2013, A Phylogeny and Classification of the Senticaudata subord. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda), Zootaxa 3610 (1), pp. 1-80 : 41-42

Artesiidae Holsinger, 1980

Type genus. Artesia Holsinger, 1980 .

Diagnostic description. Body laterally compressed or subcylindrical. Eyes absent. Antennae 1–2 calceoli absent. Antenna 1 subequal in length to antenna 2; peduncular article 1 longer than article 2; article 2 longer than article 3; article 3 shorter than article 1; peduncular articles 1–2 not geniculate; accessory flagellum minute. Antenna 2 peduncular article 1 not enlarged. Mandible molar non-triturative or with tiny triturating patch; palp, symmetrical. Maxilla 1 basal endite without setae; palps symmetrical. Maxilla 2 basal endite without oblique setal row. Coxal gills number and sequence [not known], stalked (with proximal restriction or complete suture); sternal gills absent; sternal blisters absent; oostegites fringing setae simple. Gnathopod 1 subchelate; dissimilar in males and females (sexually dimorphic); larger (or stouter) than gnathopod 2; larger (or stouter) than gnathopod 2; propodus palm with peg-like robust setae along palmar margin. Gnathopod 2 subchelate; dissimilar in males and females (sexually dimorphic);carpus not produced along posterior margin of propodus, projecting between merus and propodus. Pereopods 3–4 not sexually dimorphic. Pereopod 4 without posteroventral lobe. Pereopod 5 shorter than pereopod 6; coxa with large anteroventral lobe. Pereopod 7 longer than pereopod 5. Pleonites 1–3 without dorsal carinae. Urosomites 1–3 free; without slender or robust dorsal setae. Urosomite 1 without large distoventral robust seta. Urosomite 2 without dorsal setae. Uropod 1 with 1 or 2 basofacial robust setae. Uropod 3 sexually dimorphic; biramous, with plumose setae or without plumose setae; endopod subequal in length to exopod. Telson deeply or moderately cleft ; dorsal or lateral robust setae absent; apical robust setae present.

Habitat. Freshwater, hypogean.

Included genera. Artesia Holsinger, 1980 ; Spelaeogammarus Da Silva Brum, 1975 .

Remarks. Holsinger (1980) considered the artesiids and bogidiellids as sister-taxa. According to Holsinger (1980) artesiids ‘differs from most other bogidiellids in having broader coxal plates (especially those of pereopods 5 and 6), broadened basis of pereopod 7, unreduced pleopods (although the number of segments in the rami is low when compared with many other gammaridan genera), urosomites with dorsal spines, setae on the margins of the rami of uropod 3, and deeply cleft telson’.

Distribution. Texas, southern United States. Brazil.