Sphaeromatidea

Belongs within: Scuticoxifera.
Contains: Sphaeromatidae.

The Sphaeromatidea are a clade of marine isopods with the underside of the pleotelson vaulted, defining a branchial chamber (Brandt & Poore 2003).

Characters (from Brandt & Poore 2003): Pleonites variously fused (rarely 1–5 free), pleonite 1 narrower than others (similar in Plakarthrium). Pleotelson underside vaulted, branchial chamber defined by ridges along mesial margin of lateral edge. Antenna 1 without scale. Mandibular lacinia mobilis present on left side, reduced and fused with spine row on right or absent. Mandibular molar a cylindrical process with triturative flat end. Maxillipedal endite reaching at least distal margin of palp article 2, usually distally truncate and setose. Pleopod 3 endopod roughly triangular or at least with inner angle sharper than outer. Dorsal coxal plate 7 similar to others (rarely shorter). Uropodal rami lateral to margin of pleotelson, articulating along longitudinal axis and folding down alongside branchial space.

<==SphaeromatideaBP03
    |--SphaeromatoideaBP03
    |    |--Paravireia Chilton 1925BP03
    |    |    `--P. holdichi Brökeland, Wägele & Bruce 2001BP03
    |    `--+--SphaeromatidaeBP03
    |       `--+--Tecticeps Richardson 1897 [Tecticipitidae]BP03
    |          |    |--T. alascensisH47
    |          |    |--T. convexusH47
    |          |    |--T. marginalis Gurjanova 1935BP03
    |          |    `--T. pugettensis Hatch 1947H47
    |          `--AncinidaeBP03
    |               |--Bathycopea Tattersall 1905BP03
    |               |    `--B. typhlops Tattersall 1905BP03
    |               `--Ancinus Milne Edwards 1840BP03
    |                    |--A. belizensis Kensley & Schotte 1987BP03
    |                    `--A. depressus (Say 1818)MK83
    `--SeroloideaBP03
         |--Plakarthrium Chilton 1883 [Plakarthriidae]BP03
         |    `--P. australiense Poore & Brandt 2001BP03
         `--+--Schweglerella [Schweglerellidae]BP03
            |    `--S. strobli Polz 1998BP03
            `--+--BathynataliidaeBP02
               |    |--Biremia Bruce 1985BP03
               |    |    `--B. ambocerca Bruce 1985BP03
               |    `--+--Naudea Kensley 1979BP03
               |       |    `--N. louwae Kensley 1979BP03
               |       `--Bathynatalia Kensley 1978BP03
               |            `--B. gilchristi Barnard 1957BP03
               `--+--Basserolis Poore 1985 [Basserolidae]BP03
                  |    `--B. kimblae Poore 1985BP03
                  `--SerolidaeBP03
                       |--Serolina holia Poore 1987BP03
                       |--Anhelkocephalon handlirschi Bill 1914BWW93
                       `--Serolis Leach 1818BP03
                            |--*S. paradoxus (Fabricius 1775) [=Oniscus paradoxus; incl. S. fabricii Leach 1818]MK83
                            |--S. bouvieri Richardson 1909BP03
                            |--S. bromleyanaBH88
                            |--S. carinata Lockington 1877MK83
                            `--S. mgrayi Menzies & Frankenberg 1966MK83

*Type species of generic name indicated

References

[BH88] Boxshall, G. A., & K. Harrison. 1988. New nicothoid copepods (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida) from an amphipod and from deep-sea isopods. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Zoology series 54 (6): 285–299.

[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.

[BWW93] Briggs, D. E. G., M. J. Weedon & M. A. Whyte. 1993. Arthropoda (Crustacea excluding Ostracoda). In: Benton, M. J. (ed.) The Fossil Record 2 pp. 321–342. Chapman & Hall: London.

[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.