Sympodomma, STEBBING, 1912

Haye, Pilar A., 2007, Systematics of the genera of Bodotriidae (Crustacea: Cumacea), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 151 (1), pp. 1-58 : 33

SYMPODOMMA STEBBING, 1912

Type species: Sympodomma diomedeae ( Calman, 1912)

Body: Carapace shorter than abdomen and variable in length with respect to peraeon; abdomen longer than carapace and peraeon together.

Cephalothorax: From dorsal view the carapace appears laterally compressed anteriorly or posteriorly. Carapace with mid-dorsal ridge or mid-dorsal serration and with lateral ridges; may have dorso-lateral, anterior transverse and/or posterior transverse ridges. Pseudorostral lappets do not extend beyond the frontal lobe or slightly extend but do not meet. Antennal notch not distinct, as a depression or as a subacute incision. Anterolateral corner bluntly rounded or with subacute or acute tooth. Frontal lobe from 1/3 to 1/2 of the total carapace length; longer than wide; anteriorly linguiform; with ocular pigment and with eye lenses.

Antenna 1 with basal article of the peduncle geniculate or straight; as long as or shorter than the other two articles together. Main flagellum bi- or tri-articulated; with second article longer than third; with two aesthetascs in distal-most article; males may have a group of aesthetascs on proximal article. Accessory flagellum uni- or bi-articulated; males may have a brush of setae; with or without aesthetasc. Males with antenna 2 reaching end of pleon.

Maxilliped 3 basis arcuate or straight; extended dorso-distally over ischium beyond the articulation of the ischium and merus. Ischium as long as or longer than merus. Merus extended dorso-distally over carpus or expanded laterally. Carpus distally widened or oviform; equal to or shorter than propodus and dactylus together. Propodus may be distally widened; with a brush of setae.

Peraeon: First peraeonite well exposed, visible only above lateral midline or not visible. Peraeonite 2 may have ventrolateral expansion overriding peraeonite 1 and/or carapace, peraeonite 3 or peraeonite 1 and/or carapace and peraeonite 3. Peraeonite 3 may have ventrolateral expansion extended backwards overriding peraeonite 4 or forward and backwards overriding peraeonites 2 and 4. Peraeonite 4 may have ventrolateral expansion overriding peraeonite 5 or peraeonites 3 and 5.

Females and males with fully developed exopods on peraeopods 1–3. Peraeopod 1 with basis arcuate or straight, may have row of setae; with or without setae in a linear arrangement along propodus; carpus shorter than propodus. Peraeopod 2 with ischium; dactylus longer than propodus. Peraeopod 4 with ischium.

Pleon: Pleonite 6 longer than wide; longer than or as long as peduncle of uropod; may have many small setae on posterior edge of pleonite 6. Whole width of distal end of pleonite 6 slightly or well extended past the insertion of the uropods; ending in a point or a line. Alternatively, wide portion of distal end of pleonite 6 extended between bases of uropods; ending in a line or in a rounded apex. Anal plates may extend posteriorly beyond distal margin of pleonite 6 and may bear setae on posterior margin.

Uropod endopod bi-articulated; relative length of articles variable. Uropod exopod with proximal article shorter than distal one. Peduncle of uropods longer than or as long as rami; rami approximately same length or endopod shorter or longer than exopod. Males with five pairs of pleopods. Pleopodal endopod with well developed process.

Species included:

1. S. anomalum ( Sars, 1871)

2. S. australiense Foxon, 1932

3. S. diomedeae ( Calman, 1912)

4. S. hatagumoanum Gamô, 1969

5. S. incertum Hale, 1949

6. S. vitreum Lomakina, 1967

7. S. weberi ( Calman, 1905

8. S. whitleyi Hale, 1949

Distribution: West Indian Ocean, Indo-West and West Pacific, Australian coasts and South Pacific, from 11 to 1158 m.