Cyclaspoides, BONNIER, 1896

Haye, Pilar A., 2007, Systematics of the genera of Bodotriidae (Crustacea: Cumacea), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 151 (1), pp. 1-58 : 19

CYCLASPOIDES BONNIER, 1896

Type species: Cyclaspoides sarsi Bonnier, 1896

Body: Carapace shorter than abdomen and longer than peraeon; abdomen approximately as long as or longer than carapace and peraeon together.

Cephalothorax: From dorsal view the carapace may be laterally compressed anteriorly; may be oviform posteriorly; longer than wide; may have anterior transverse ridge. Pseudorostral lappets extend beyond frontal lobe and meet in midline. Antennal notch as a depression or a subacute incision. Anterolateral corner bluntly rounded; with subacute or acute tooth. Branchial siphons long, extending much beyond pseudorostrum, or short, extending just beyond pseudorostrum. Frontal lobe approximately 1/4 of carapace length; as wide as long; may be somewhat extended; without ocular pigment and with or without eye lenses.

Antenna 1 with basal article of the peduncle arcuate or straight; shorter than the other two articles together. Main flagellum uni-, bi- or tri-articulated; with second article longer than third; with one or two aesthetascs in distal-most article. Accessory flagellum uni-articulated. Antenna 2 in males, reaching the end of the pleon.

Maxilliped 3 basis arcuate or geniculated; extended dorso-distally over ischium beyond the articulation of the ischium and merus. Ischium as long as or shorter than merus. Merus extended dorso-distally over car- pus. Carpus equal to or shorter than propodus and dactylus together; may be oviform or not expanded.

Peraeon: Peraeonites 1 and 2 or 1–3 are fused to carapace in females and 1–3 in males.

Peraeopod 1 with basis arcuate or straight; may have row of setae; inner apical angle may be produced as a convex process; carpus equal to or shorter than propodus; dactylus may or may not have at least three terminal setae. Peraeopod 2 with or without ischium; dactylus longer than propodus. Peraeopod 4 with ischium.

Pleon: Articular pegs may be present. Pleonite 5 variable length with respect to pleonite 6. Pleonite 6 longer than wide; shorter or longer than peduncle of uropod. Whole width of pleonite 6 may be extended between the bases of the uropods or not extended; apex rounded. Anal plates may extend posteriorly beyond distal margin of pleonite 6.

Uropod endopod uni- or bi-articulated; proximal article longer than distal one. Uropod exopod with proximal article shorter than distal one. Peduncle may be slightly longer, same length, slightly shorter or much shorter than rami or peduncle shorter than exopods (equal length to endopod); rami approximately same length or exopod longer than endopod. Males with five pairs of pleopods. Pleopodal endopod with well-developed process.

Species included:

1. C. bacescui Petrescu, 1995

2. C. flokkeri Mühlenhardt-Siegel, 2000

3. C. longimerus Mühlenhardt-Siegel, 2005

4. C. pellucidus Day, 1978

5. C. sarsi Bonnier, 1896

6. Cyclaspoides sp. Calman, 1905

Distribution: Off the coasts of South Africa, Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean at depths greater than 400 m (up to 1900 m).

Notes: The single specimen of Cyclaspoides sp. Calman, 1905 was found in the atrial cavity of a tunicate, possibly indicating an endosymbiotic life-style.