Limnoriidea

Gribbles Limnoria lignorum, from NOAA.

Belongs within: Scuticoxifera.

The Limnoriidea are a group of marine isopods united by the absence of a mandibular molar (Brandt & Poore 2003). The gribble Limnoria lignorum is a significant pest of marine timbers, gnawing into exposed wood (Hatch 1947).

Characters (from Brandt & Poore 2003): Pleonites 1–5 or 1–4 free, pleonite 1 similar to others or narrower. Pleotelson underside flat, without ventrolateral ridges (pleopods not enclosed laterally). Antenna 1 with or without scale. Mandibular lacinia mobilis present or absent. Mandibular molar absent. Maxillipedal enditre reaching at least distal margin of palp article 4, non-tapering, slender (except in Keuphylia). Dorsal coxal plate 7 similar to others. Pleopods 3–5 endopods more or less oval or rectangular, rounded distally. Uropodal rami ventral to pleotelson, articulating from side to side along vertical axis or distal.

<==Limnoriidea [Limnorioidea] BP03
    |--Keuphylia [Keuphyliidae] BP03
    |    `--K. nodosa Bruce 1980 BP03
    `--+--Hadromastax Bruce 1988 [Hadromastacidae] BP03
       |    `--H. polynesica Bruce & Müller 1991 BP03
       `--Limnoriidae BP03
            |--Paralimnoria andrewsi (Calman 1910) BP03
            |--Lynseia [Lynseiidae] BP03
            `--Limnoria BP03
                 |--L. lignorum H47
                 |--L. pfefferi Stebbing 1904 MK83
                 |--L. platycauda Menzies 1957 MK83
                 |--L. quadripunctata Holthuis 1949 BP03
                 |--L. saseboensis Menzies 1957 MK83
                 |--L. simulata Menzies 1957 MK83
                 |--L. stephenseni BP03
                 `--L. tripunctata Menzies 1951 MK83

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[BP03] Brandt, A. & G. C. B. Poore. 2003. Higher classification of the flabelliferan and related Isopoda based on a reappraisal of relationships. Invertebrate Systematics 17: 893–923.

[H47] Hatch, M. H. 1947. The Chelifera and Isopoda of Washington and adjacent regions. University of Washington Publications in Biology 10 (5): 155–274.

[MK83] Menzies, R. J., & W. L. Kruczynski. 1983. Isopod Crustacea (exclusive of Epicaridea). Memoirs of the Hourglass Cruises 6 (1): 1–126.