PORT PHILLIP BAY


Comma Shrimp 

Austroleucon levis (Hale, 1945)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Pseudorostrum projecting anteriorly, equal in male and female; antenna 1 slightly geniculate between peduncle articles 1 and 2; male antenna 2 with brush of setae on anterior margin of peduncle article 5 and posterior margins of peduncle articles 4 and 5; male antenna flagellum not extending beyond pereon; female with exopods on pereopods 1-3; male with exopods on pereopods 1-4; pereopod 2 article 3 much shorter than wide; uropod endopod uniarticulate; male without pleopods.

Source: Watling, L. (1991) Revision of the cumacean family Leuconidae. Journal of Crustacean Biology, 11, 569-582.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Crustacea
Class:
Malacostraca
Subclass:
Eumalacostraca
Superorder:
Peracarida
Order:
Cumacea
Family:
Leuconidae
Genus:
Austroleucon
Species:
levis

General Description

Eyelobe without lense or pigment. Exopods on pereopods 1-3 in females and 1-4 in males. Uropod endopod uniarticulate. Male without pleopods.

Biology

The genus Austroleucon was erected in 1991 to accomodate this Australian species which differs from other members of the family Leuconidae. It remains the only species of the genus. The Leuconidae is one of the oldest of all cumacean families being established in 1878.

Habitat

Mud, fine silt, clay and sand, at depths of 7?100 m..

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

Southern temperate oceans, including south-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Microcrustaceans › Cumaceans

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

3.5 mm

Diet

Organic matter

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Species Code

MoV 45

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, Comma Shrimp, Austroleucon levis, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 21 Sep 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/5292

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