Lowryorchestia, Myers & Park & J.-P, 2025

Family Protorchestiidae Myers and Lowry, 2020 View in CoL

Included genera. Cochinorchestia Lowry & Peart, 2010 ; Eorchestia Bousfield, 1984 ; Lowryorchestia gen. nov.; Microrchestia Bousfield, 1984 ; Protorchestia Bousfield, 1982 ; Richardsonorchestia gen. nov.; Serejorchestia gen. nov.

Category. Mascupod ( Lowry & Myers 2019).

Diagnostic description. Antenna 1 long, reaching to at least midpoint of peduncular article 5 of antenna 2 or short, not reaching midpoint of peduncular article 5 of antenna 2. Maxilliped palp article 2 without distomedial lobe; article 4 small, distinct. Male and female gnathopod 1 posterior margin of merus, carpus and propodus each with palmate lobes; propodus ‘subtriangular’ with well-developed posterodistal lobe. Male and female gnathopod 2 subchelate. Male gnathopod 2 enlarged. Pereopods 3–7 simplidactylate. Pereopod 6 subequal in length or shorter than pereopod 7. Coxal gill 6 plate-like or weakly lobed, not complex or convoluted. Uropod 1 exopod with marginal robust setae in one row or without marginal robust setae. Uropod 3 ramus subequal in length, longer than or shorter than peduncle. Telson with apical robust setae only or with apical and marginal robust setae, with 1–6 robust setae per lobe.

Discussion. The Protorchestiidae have simplidactylate pereopods, a character state shared only with the Uhlorchestiidae and Arcitalitridae . This distinguishes the Protorchestoidae from the cuspidactylate Talitroidae. They differ from the Uhlorchestiidae in retaining a small but distinct palp article 4 on the maxilliped (a rudimentary button in Uhlorchestiidae ) and from the Arcitalitridae in having coxal gill 6 plate-like or weakly lobed (complexly structured, branched and often convoluted in Arcitalitridae ).

Distribution. South America; South Africa, East Africa; Madagascar; India; New Zealand, Australia; Thailand, Indonesia, New Guinea.