Entocytherinae

Electron micrograph of male Ankylocythere sp., showing copulatory apparatus (to the right) in active position. Figure from Hart & Hart (1974).

Belongs within: Cytheroidea.

The Entocytherinae are freshwater ostracods that live as commensals on crayfish (one species has been recorded from a freshwater crab). Individuals can survive for reasonable amounts of time away from a host, but require the presence of the host for successful reproduction (Hart & Hart 1974). Entocytherinae are found in North America, including Cuba and Hawaii. Genera can be distinguished by features of the male copulatory complex, particularly the form of the clasping apparatus.

Characters (from Hart & Hart 1974): Distal spine of mandibular palp never spatulate; respiratory plate of maxilla well developed; maxilla well developed; maxilla with masticatory lobe ending in setae. Peniferum elongate, bearing curved to angular penis, with only relatively slightly convex posterior margin.

<==Entocytherinae
    |--Ankylocythere Hart 1962 DH86
    |    `--A. toltecae Hobbs 1971 DH86
    |--Donnaldsoncythere Hart 1962 DH86
    |    `--*D. donnaldsonensis (Klie 1931) BB61, DH86 [=Entocythere donnaldsonensis BB61]
    |--Sagittocythere Hart 1962 DH86
    |    |--S. barri (Hart & Hobbs 1961) DH86
    |    `--S. stygia Hart & Hart 1966 DH86
    |--Uncinocythere Hart 1962 DH86
    |    |--U. warreni Hobbs & Walton 1968 DH86
    |    `--U. xania (Hart & Hobbs 1961) DH86
    |--Entocythere Marshall 1903 BB61
    |    |--*E. (Entocythere) cambaria Marshall 1903 BB61
    |    `--E. (Cytherites Sars 1926) BB61
    |         `--E. (*C.) insignipes (Sars 1926) [=*Cytherites insignipes] BB61
    `--Dactylocythere Hart 1962 DH86
         |--D. arcuata (Hart & Hobbs 1961) DH86
         |--D. prionata (Hart & Hobbs 1961) DH86
         |--D. steevesi (Hart & Hobbs 1961) DH86
         `--D. susanae (Hobbs 1971) DH86

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[BB61] Benson, R. H., J. M. Berdan, W. A. van den Bold, T. Hanai, I. Hessland, H. V. Howe, R. V. Kesling, S. A. Levinson, R. A. Reyment, R. C. Moore, H. W. Scott, R. H. Shaver, I. G. Sohn, L. E. Stover, F. M. Swain & P. C. Sylvester-Bradley. 1961. Systematic descriptions. In: Moore, R. C. (ed.) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt Q. Arthropoda 3: Crustacea: Ostracoda pp. Q99–Q421. Geological Society of America and University of Kansas Press.

[DH86] Danielopol, D. L., & G. Hartmann. 1986. Ostracoda. In: Botosaneanu, L. (ed.) Stygofauna Mundi: A Faunistic, Distributional, and Ecological Synthesis of the World Fauna inhabiting Subterranean Waters (including the Marine Interstitial) pp. 265–294. E. J. Brill/Dr W. Backhuys: Leiden.

Hart, D. G., & L. W. Hart Jr. 1974. The ostracod family Entocytheridae. Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Monograph 18.

Last updated: 11 October 2020.