Familia Acartiidae

Sars, 1903

Females
Small, more or less slender copepods. Single eye present. Ce and Pd1 separate, Pd4 and 5 always fused, posterolateral corners of Pr rounded or pointed. Ur of 3 somites, anal operculum may be on anal somite or anus may open between last two urosomites into dorsal grove on anal somite; CR generally slightly asymmetrical, short or long, sometimes fused with anal somite, with 6 setae. Without R and with or without paired filaments. Upper lip large, prominent and trilobed. A1 17-22-segmented, many segments with long setae. A2 Enp 3-segmented; Basis (with 1 seta) and Enp1 fused, resulting allobasis bears 9 setae arranged in proximal group of 8 and isolated distal seta, 8 proximal setae interconnected at their bases by tiny tendinous strands extending from single muscle inserted adjacent to last seta enabling the 8 setae to be moved as single unit (Acartia); Enp2 with 6-9 distal setae; small terminal segment with 7 terminal setae; Exp with reduced number of segments: 4-segmented with 1, 2, 2, 3 setae respectively. Md with well-developed gnathobase with large separate tooth on one border, palp Basis with 1-2 setae; Enp 1-segmented with 2+8-9 setae; Exp 5-segmented with 1, 1, 1, 1, 2 setae respectively. Mx1 with reduced lobes and setation; Li1 short with about 6-8 spines and setae, Li2-4 with 0, 3, 1 setae; Enp apparently absent; Exp with 2+5 setae; Le1 and 2 with 8-9 and 1-0 setae respectively. Mx2 Li1-5 with 3-4, 2-3, 2-3, 1-3, 1-2 setae respectively; Enp with 4-5 setae. Mxp reduced and highly modified, Coxa with 5-6 long setae; Basis with 1 short thick setae; Enp with fused segments with 4-5 short thick setae. P1-4 slender and delicate with long natatory setae; distolateral borders of Exp of P2-4 expanded into conspicuous tooth; articulated spine not present in this position. P1 Basis may have very small outer edge spine or seta; terminal Exp spine of P2-4 with outer edge teeth.
Leg 5 usually uniramous, very small, symmetrical, 3-segmented, Coxa and intercoxal sclerite may be fused; both Basis may be fused to each other or separate, Basis with 1 outer seta; Exp in the form of spine or elongate seta; small Enp present in Acartiella.

Males
Ur of 5 somites. A1 usually prehensile on right side only, with 12-18? segments; middle segments may be greatly inflated. Mouthparts more or less as in female. P5 uniramous, asymmetrical, attached to plate formed from fusion of Coxa and intercoxal sclerite; Basis usually asymmetrically developed with 1 outer distal seta; left P5 with 2-segmented Exp (3-segmented in Paracartia africana), Exp2 with variously decorated tip; right P5 usually with 3-segmented Exp, Exp1 and 2 often with inner processes; Exp3 opposed to process on Exp2 to form type of subchela.

This family is now considered to include four genera, of which Acartia and Paracartia have been recorded from the South Atlantic:

Genus Acartia Dana, 1846
Genus Acartiella Sewell, 1914
Genus Paracartia T. Scott, 1894
Genus Paralabidocera Wolfenden, 1908 (see Bradford, 1976)

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