Schlacher, Wittmann & Ariani 1992
Schlacher, Wittmann & Ariani 1992
SCHLACHER, T. A., K. J. WITTMANN & A. P. ARIANI, 1992: Comparative morphology and actuopalaeontology of mysid statoliths (Crustacea, Mysidacea). Zoomorphology, 112: 67-79.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01673808
A comprehensive and comparative study of the external statolith morphology of the family Mysidae is presented. The study covers 48 species from major systematic groups occupying a large number of habitats in different biogeographital zones of the globe. Statoliths generally show high morphological diversity. The traditional classification scheme of subtaxa and the correlation of statolith characters with segmentation patterns of body appendages suggest that the organic composition and the nearly spherical structure of the statoliths of Boreomysinae and Rhopalophthalminae are plesiomorphic compared with the more complex mineralized statoliths found in all other subfamilies. During ontogenetic development the number of sensorial setae and associated pores and pore groups on the statolith increase with body size and statolith diameter. Although patterns of caudal pores are highly specific for some genera, the high intraspecific variance of pore numbers strongly reduces the diagnostic value of this feature in most species. Statolith characters can be successfully used for identification of subfamilies, tribes, and especially genera. For future palaeontological applications a proper diagnosis of fossil mysid statoliths is essential. Therefore, we provide a key to subfamilies and tribes based exclusively on statolith characters.
statolithology; biomineralogy; actuopalaeontology; key to subfamilies and tribes
Boreomysinae; Gastrosaccinae; Mysidae; Mysinae; Rhopalophthalminae; Siriellinae; Aberomysini; Amblyops abbreviata; Anchialina agilis; Anchialina oculata; Antarctomysis maxima; Boreomysis arctica; Boreomysis megalops; Archaeomysinae; Archaeomysis grebnitzkii; Boreomysis megalops; Boreomysis microps; Dactylamblyops hodgsoni; Diamysis bahirensis; Erythrops elegans; Euchaetomera zurstrasseni; Gastrosaccus magnilobatus; Gastrosaccus mediterraneus; Gastrosaccus sanctus sanctus; Haplostylus bacescui; Heteromysis formosa; Heteromysis mayana; Holmesiella affinis; Leptomysis buergii; Leptomysis posidoniae; Limnomysis benedeni; Mesopodopsis slabberi; Mesopodopsis wooldridgei; Meterythrops microphthalma; Mysidella typica; Mysidetes sp.; Mysidium integrum; Mysidopsis bahia; Mysis relicta; Paraleptomysis banyulensis; Paramysis helleri; Paramysis lacustris tanaitica; Praunus flexuosus; Prionomysis sp.; Pseudomma affine; Pseudomysis dactylops; Pyroleptomysis rubra; Rhopalophthalmus terranatalis; Schistomysis assimilis; Siriella aequiremis; Siriella anomala; Siriella armata; Siriella clausii; Siriella jaltensis gracilipes; Siriella longipes; Siriella pacifica; Siriella thompsoni