Petalophthalmidae


Petalophthalmidae is a family of marine crustaceans in the order Mysida, the opossum shrimps.

Characteristics

Petalophthalmidans are distinguished from other mysids by the fact that the first pereopod does not have an exopod, the carpopropodus of the endopod of the 3rd to 8th pereopods are not fused and there is no statocyst on the endopod of the uropods. Female petalophthalmidans have seven oostegites forming the base of the marsupium or brood pouch under the thorax. Most species in this genus are bathypelagic and live on or near the seabed in the deep ocean.

Genera

The following genera are recognised in the World Register of Marine Species: