626 



Fam. 24. Cheluridae. 



Body robust, with small coxal plates and the cephalon large and 

 tumid. Urosome having the segments coalesced. Eyes distinct. Antennae 

 short and stout, the superior ones with an accessory appendage, the inferior 

 ones with the flagellum transformed to a squamiform plate. Buccal area 

 strongly prominent. Oral parts on the whole normal. Grnathopoda of same 

 structure in the two sexes, both pairs being minutely chelate. Pereiopoda 

 short and stout, subequal. Branchial lamellae of moderate size; incubatory 

 lamellae narrow. Pleopoda with the basal part strongly expanded inside. 

 Uropoda very different in shape; 1st pair normal, 2nd pair originating above 

 the latter, and having the basal part lamellarly expanded; last pair with the 

 inner ramus rudimentary, outer ramus large, foliaceous. Telson entire. 



Remark*. This family was established in the year 1847 by Alhnan, 

 to include the peculiar genus Chelura of Philippi, which exhibits several very 

 striking characteristics distinguishing it from all other known Amphipoda, 

 and partly reminding of certain forms of Isopoda of the Sphaeromid group, as 

 for instance the genus Nescea. Only the above named genus is at present known. 



Gen. Chelura, Philippi, 1839. 

 Syn: Nemertes, White. 



Body broad, subdepressed, with the metasome very short, and having 

 the last segment produced dorsally. Urosome flattened, and more elongated 

 in male than in female. Cephalon without any trace of a rostral prominence, 

 but with the lateral corners well defined. Inferior antennae much stronger 

 than the superior, and having the flagellum spatulate and densely fringed 

 with bristles. Anterior gnathopoda shorter and stouter than the posterior 

 ones. The 3 posterior pairs of pereiopoda successively increasing in length, 

 and having the basal joint but slightly expanded. First pair of uropoda 

 extended beneath the urosome: 2nd pair having a subdorsal situation, 

 basal expansion of different form in the two sexes, rami very short ; last 

 pair with a slight rudiment of an inner ramus, outer ramus much longer in 

 male than in female. Telson acutely produced at the tip. 



RcHHirl.-x. This genus was established in the year 1839 by Philippi, 

 and was, as above stated, subsequently considered by Allman to be the type 



