Familia Dynomenidae

Ortmann, 1892

Body distinctly longer than wide, or as long as wide or even less long than wide. Carapace generally flat, smooth, granulous or spinulous, with the lateral borders more or less distinct. Uropods represented by well developed dorsal plates. Lateral carapace margin generally clearly defined, bearing teeth. Presence of a lateral linea. Orbit, antennular and antennal fossae defined. Third maxilliped operculiform. P4 similar to preceeding legs; only P5 reduced, intercalated between the body and P4, and with a special ending, sometimes subchelate. Abdomen consisting of six segments plus the telson, without pleurae; in males presence of vestigial, usually biramous, pleopods on segments 3-5; telson much wider than long. Generally, presence of structures belonging to a retaining mechanism of the abdomen, but not effective at least in adult males. Spermathecal apertures small and rounded, at the level of the genital openings. In females abdominal segment 1 with a pair of uniramous pleopods. Coxa of P5 strongly modified by the penis. Fingers of P1 hollowed and dented at tip, and more or less separated one from each other by a gap. Carrying behaviour not recorded and improbable. (Guinot 1998)

Genera treated:
genus Acanthodromia A. Milne Edwards, 1880
genus Dynomene Desmarest, 1823
genus Hirsutodynomene McLay, 1999
genus Metadynomene McLay, 1999
genus Paradynomene Sakai, 1963

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