Information About

Amphionides




  Regnum Animal ia
  Phylum Arthropod a
  Subphylum Crustacea
  Classis Malacostraca
  Superordo Eucarida
  Ordo '''Amphionidacea'''
  Ordo Authority D I Williamson , 1973
  Familia '''Amphionididae'''
  Familia Authority Holthuis , 1955
  Genus '''''Amphionides'''''
  Genus Authority Zimmer , 1904
  Species '''''A reynaudii'''''
  Binomial ''Amphionides reynaudii''
  Binomial Authority ( H Milne Edwards , 1833)
  Synonyms ''Amphion reynaudii'' <small>H&nbspMilne&nbspEdwards, 1833</small>


''Amphionides reynaudii'' is the sole representative of the Order '''Amphionidacea''', and is a small (less than one Inch long) Plankton ic Crustacean found throughout the world's Tropical Ocean s, mostly in shallow waters. Morphologically , ''Amphionides'' is somewhat unusual, with many bodyparts being reduced or absent. For example, it has only one pair of mouthparts - the Maxilla e - the Mandible s and Maxillule s being absent.


SEXUAL DIMORPHISM

Males and females differ in the form of the Antennae , and also by the presence in males of the eighth Thoracic Appendage , albeit in a reduced form. This is the site of the male Gonopore (the female's gonopore in on the sixth thoracic appendage). The first Pleopod of the female is greatly enlarged and almost encloses the enlarged Carapace . This is assumed to be a chamber in which the Eggs are Fertilised and retained until hatching. The more streamlined carapace and pleopods of the male make it more Hydrodynamic , and so fewer males are caught than females.


CLASSIFICATION

Originally described from its Larva e, ''Amphionides'' was originally thought to be a Shrimp . It was not until 1969 that the adult form was observed to be that described by Zimmer in 1904 , and only in 1973 was ''Amphionides'' placed in its own order by Donald I. Williamson . The specific Epithet ''reynaudii'' was given by Henri Milne Edwards in honour of a friend of his, possibly Count François Dominique Reynaud de Montlosier (1755-1838).


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