Corophiida Leach 1814

In this lateral view of the head and antennae 2, the long setae on antennae 2 can be seen. The next to last article of antenna 2 is about 6x as long as wide and has setae at least 2x as long as the article is wide. Notice also the large, single dorsal spine on the head and the small first gnathopods at the anterior end of pereonite 1. The large first antennae are extending upward out of the picture.

Caprella horrida gnathopods 2Caprella horrida gnathopods 2Specimens from: National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 25905; (NMNH) 112832; Series-Loubyrne; Hudson Bay; Trawl;

This dorsal view of the head shows more clearly the first and second antennae.

Caprella unica/Caprella grahami maleCaprella unica maleSpecimens from: National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 305797-8; (NMNH) 1110829 (labeled C. grahami)

Tritella pilimana found on eelgrass on March Point, Padilla Bay June 2007. Total length not including antennae = 2.4 cm. (Photo by: Dave Cowles July 2007)

Caprella unica gnathopods 2Caprella unica/ Caprella grahami gnathopods 2Specimens from: National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 305797-8; (NMNH) 1110829 (labeled C. grahami)

Caprella dilatata gnathopod 2Caprella dilatata gnathopod 2Specimen: National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 23208; Received from the Zoo. Sta. Naples, Italy; Acc No 27,047, 1893. Labelled as C. acutifrons

Caprella dilatata femaleCaprella dilatata femaleSpecimen: National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 23208; Received from the Zoo. Sta. Naples, Italy; Acc No 27,047, 1893. Labelled as C. acutifrons

Caprella lilliputCaprella lilliput individuals showing miniature size.Specimens from: National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 305416

In gammarid amphipods the last three abdominal legs are uropods. This view shows a dorsal view of uropods 1 (lowest) to 3 on the left side of the animal. Above the base of uropod 3 the telson can be seen, then uropod 3 on the right side of the animal is visible at the very top. Uropods 1 and 2 have two similar rami composed of flattened blades with setae along the edges. Uropod 3 has a paddlelike inner ramus (seen on edge on the left, close uropod and from the flat side on the right, far uropod). The outer ramus of uropod 3 is less flattened and has two apical teeth, as seen below.

Caprella andreae maleCaprella andreae maleSpecimen: National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 113051

This closeup view of left uropod 3 seen from the dorsal aspect of the left side shows the two apical teeth on the lateral ramus, and also shows the paddlelike inner (medial) ramus.

Caprella andreae head and gnathopodsCaprella andreae head and gnathopodsSpecimen: National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 113051

This ventral view of the right uropod #2 shows the spine which extends from the base (peduncle) out between the two rami.

Caprella carina pereopods 6 + 7Caprella carina pereopods 6 & 7Specimen: National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 134426-7

In this dorsal view of the tail all three uropods plus the telson can be seen. The telson is short and evenly rounded.

Caprella carina maleCaprella carina maleSpecimen: National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 134426-7

Neither antenna has an accessory flagellum, which would be a short branch based beside the main flagellum (the flagellum is the flexible, whiplike distal portion of the antennae, with many short articles which allow it to bend easily). The articles at the base of the flagellum of the second antenna are not fused together. In this photo the first antennae are to the left and the second antennae are to their right, curled around the first two pereopod legs (called gnathopods)

Caprella carina gnathopodsCaprella carina gnathopodsSpecimen: National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 134426-7

This is a view of the left gnathopods (#1 is to the left, #2 next to it to the right). Gnathopods have 7 segments, the last two of which form a (usually subchelate) claw. In this view the 7th segment (the movable tip of the claw) is folding away from the view plane. Segment 5 of gnathopod 1 is longer than segment 6.

Caprella carina femaleCaprella carina femaleSpecimen: National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 134426-7