PORT PHILLIP BAY


Sea Centipede 

Paranthura boronia Poore, 1984

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Head almost as wide as long. Pleon 2 times as long as pereonite 7, pleonites 1-5 free. Antenna 1 flagellum of 9 articles. Antenna 2 flagellum 0.8 times as long as fifth article of peduncle. Pereopod 1 article 6 elongate, 1.6 times as long as wide; palm axial (10 degrees); proximal thumb broad, separated from the strongly convex cutting edge by a shallow, obtuse angle; setal formula 12, 17, 45. Pereopod 2 article 6 shorter than that of pereopod 1, 1.8 times as long as broad, palm with 1 1 spines. Pereopod 4 articles 5 and 6 each with 5 spines, dactyl fine, 0.8 times length of article 6. Pereopod 7 articles 5 and 6 each with 5 spines; article 6 4 times as long as wide; dactyl fine, 0 .6 times length of article 6. Pleopod 1 endopod bearing 37 setae; exopod
widest at midpoint and tapering distally, bearing 53 setae. Pleopod 2 endopod 3 times as long as broad, with 11 setae distally; exopod with a partial suture laterally, with 3 setae proximal to
suture and 25 setae distally. Uropodal endopod reaching just beyond end of telson, 1.2 times as long as wide, lateral margin weakly convex; exopod 2.2 times as long as wide, proximal lobe broadly rounded, distal lobe very broad, tapering to an obtuse apex; with scattered setae on mesial surface. Telson 1.3 times as long as pleon, 2.5 times as long as wide, widest proximally and tapering to an evenly rounded apex; with numerous terminal long setae, dorsal submarginal short setae on distal half, and scattered dorsal setae elsewhere.

Source: Poore, G.C.B. (1984) Paranthura (Crustacea, Isopoda, Paranthuridae) from south-eastern Australia. Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria, 45, 33-69.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Crustacea
Class:
Malacostraca
Subclass:
Eumalacostraca
Superorder:
Peracarida
Order:
Isopoda
Suborder:
Cymothoida
Superfamily:
Anthuroidea
Family:
Paranthuridae
Genus:
Paranthura
Species:
boronia

General Description

Head about as wide as long. Pereopod 1 palm oblique and stepped away from axis of limb. Antenna 1 flagellum with 6 articles. Article 6 of pereopod I much larger than that of pereopod 2. Appendix masculina of male robust, one-third width of pleopodal endopod.

Biology

This isopod is an active predator that uses its hook-like hands to grasp its prey and its biting mouthparts to make a meal of it. Australian species of Paranthura are sexually dimorphic; males differ from juveniles and females in antenna 1, pereopods, uropods and telson.

Habitat

Intertidal, to depth of 8 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Microcrustaceans › Isopods

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

6.9 mm

Diet

Organic matter

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Species Code

MoV 969

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Taylor, J.

Dr. Jo Taylor is the Sciences Collections Online Coordinator at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Poore, G.C.B.

Dr. Gary Poore is Principal Curator Emeritus at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Taylor, J. & Poore, G.C.B., 2011, Sea Centipede, Paranthura boronia, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/5338

Text: creative commons cc by licence