Oplophoridae, Dana, 1852

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 41

Key to Species of family Oplophoridae

1. Abdomen with carina present at least on dorsal midline of posterior 4 abdominal somites; eggs small to medium-sized, numerous.... 2

– Abdomen without carina on dorsal midline of posterior 4 abdominal somites; eggs large, few......................... 7

2. Carapace without lateral carina extending from near orbit to near posterior margin, posterior margin of hepatic groove usually not abruptly delimited by oblique carina.................................................................... 3

– Carapace with lateral carina extending from near orbit to near posterior margin, posterior margin of hepatic groove abruptly delimited by oblique carina.............................................................................. 6

3. Carapace with prominent carina on posterior 0.33 of dorsal midline.............................. Acanthephyra eximia

– Carapace without prominent carina on posterior 0.33 of dorsal midline........................................... 4

4. Rostrum armed ventrally with 1 or 2 teeth.................................................................. 5

– Rostrum armed ventrally with 3–7 teeth............................................ Acanthephyra quadrispinosa

5. Carapace with strong carina extending from branchiostegal tooth posteriorly to hepatic groove, no ridge on posterior half of lateral surface.................................................................... Acanthephyra curtirostris

– Carapace without strong carina extending from branchiostegal tooth, with well-marked ridge on posterior half of lateral surface................................................................................ Acanthephyra chacei

6. Carapace with single lateral longitudinal carina, abdominal somite 1 without median dorsal carina...... Meningodora mollis

– Carapace with more than one lateral longitudinal carina, abdominal somite 1 with median dorsal carina..................................................................................................... Notostomus japonicus

7. Eye large, pigmented, anterior margin of abdominal somite 1 armed with distinct lobe or tooth overlapping posterior margin of carapace, telson with acute apex......................................................................... 8

– Eye small, weakly pigmented, anterior margin of abdominal somite 1 not armed with distinct lobe or tooth, telson with truncate, spinose apex.................................................................................... 10

8. Carapace without sinuous lateral ridge extending posteriorly from orbital region nearly to posterior margin; telson armed laterally with single row small spines totaling at most 10 spines on each side........................... Systellaspis debilis

– Carapace with sinuous lateral ridge extending posteriorly from orbital region nearly to posterior margin; telson armed laterally with 2 or more rows small spines totaling at least 20 on each side................................................ 9

9. Rostrum triangular in lateral aspect, dorsal posterior margin of abdominal somite 3 without median tooth...................................................................................................... Systellaspis braueri

– Rostrum slender, dorsal posterior margin of abdominal somite 3 with median tooth................. Systellaspis cristata

10. Rostrum reaching to or beyond distal end of antennular peduncle.............................. Hymenodora frontalis

– Rostrum reaching little beyond cornea of eye.............................................................. 11

11. Anterior part of carapace near rostrum swollen............................................. Hymenodora glacialis

– Anterior part of carapace near rostrum not swollen.......................................................... 12

12. Anterior margin of first abdominal somite forming lobe overlapping posterior margin of carapace.................................................................................................... Hymenodora acanthitelsonis

– Anterior margin of first abdominal somite not forming lobe overlapping posterior margin of carapace... Hymenodora gracilis