Sphaeromicolinae

Male copulatory apparatus of Sphaeromicola hamigera, from Hart & Hart (1974).

Belongs within: Cytheroidea.

The Sphaeromicolinae are freshwater ostracods living as commensals on isopods of the families Sphaeromatidae and Cirolanidae. Members of the genus Sphaeromicola are found in Europe whereas Hobbsiella are found in Central and North America. The antennal segments are fused in Hobbsiella but remain distinct in Sphaeromicola.

Characters (from Hart & Hart 1974): Distal podomere of mandibular palp spatulate in shape; respiratory plate of maxilla lacking; masticatory lobes of maxilla vestigial. Peniferum shortened, usually with highly convex posterior margin.

<==Sphaeromicolinae
    |--Hobbsiella Danielopol & Hart 1985 DH86
    |    |--H. cirolanae (Rioja 1951) DH86
    |    |--H. coahuiltecae (Hobbs & Hobbs 1973) DH86
    |    `--H. moria (Hart 1978) DH86
    `--Sphaeromicola Paris 1916 DH86
         |--*S. topsenti Paris 1916 BB61
         |--S. cebennica Remy 1948 DH86
         |    |--S. c. cebennica DH86
         |    `--S. c. juberthiei Danielopol 1977 DH86
         |--S. hamigera Remy 1946 DH86
         |--S. sphaeromidicola Hubault 1938 DH86
         `--S. stammeri Klie 1930 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.