Anisopechys, Bird, Graham, 2004

Bird, Graham, 2004, Tanaidacea (Crustacea) of the Northeast Atlantic: non­filiform species of Anarthruridae Lang from the Atlantic Margin, Zootaxa 471, pp. 1-44 : 33-34

Anisopechys gen. nov.

Anarthrura: Holdich & Bird, 1989 : tables III, IV and appendices as taxon ‘26’. Anarthrura: Bird, 2001: 25 –26

Type species. Anisopechys crinitus sp. nov. by monotypy.

Diagnosis. Anarthrurid with normal pleon. Labrum strongly laterally compressed, ovoid. Mandible with weak, deflexed acuminate molar process. Maxillule endite with seven (?) unequal terminal setae. Maxilliped endite conical, with finely setose margin, without distal setae; palp article­3 with three inner setae. Cheliped propodus with lateral fold; fixed finger with one ventral seta. Carpus of pereopods 4–6 with three complex spiniform setae and one thin seta. Pleopods present. Uropod exopod with three thick distal setae.

Etymology. From Greek anisos ‘unequal’ and pechys ‘forearm’, alluding to the shape of the cheliped carpus.

Remarks. This genus differs from Synanarthrura gen. nov. (see below) principally in its habitus, i.e. shape and proportions of cephalothorax, pereon, pleon and pleotelson. However, it probably has close phylogenetic affinities to that genus and to Siphonolabrum because of its narrow labrum, conical maxilliped endites and cheliped fold. The presence of a mandibular molar process (albeit weak) is shared with Anarthruropsis galathea Lang, 1968 and Synanarthrura gen.nov.