668 



Fam, 25. Gyamidae. 



Body short, depressed, with the lateral parts of the segments more 

 or less expanded. Cephalon attenuated in front, and more or less completely 

 fused together with the 1st segment of mesosome. Urosome forming a small 

 nodiform appendage, without any distinct limbs. Eyes small, punctiform. 

 placed on the upper face of the cephalon. Superior antennae well developed, 

 though having a rudimentary flagellum. Inferior antennae extremely small. 

 Buccal area minute, flattened, quadrangular, occurring beneath the anterior 

 part of the cephalon. Mandibles without any trace of palps. First pair 01 

 maxillae with the palp small, uniarticulate, basal lobe wanting. Maxillipeds 

 with only a single lobe inside, palps either well developed or rudimentary. 

 Gnathopoda more or less unequal, the posterior ones always very strongly 

 built, prehensile, with the joints partly coalesced, and the propodos very 

 large, dactylus strong, hooked. The 2 anterior pairs of pereiopoda wanting; 

 the 3 posterior ones subequal and very strong, resembling in structure the 

 posterior gnathopoda. Branchial appendages 2 pairs, digitiform, extended 

 laterally, sometimes simple, sometimes divided; incubatory lamellae likewise 

 2 pairs, forming together the rounded marsupial pouch. Animal parasitic on 

 the skin of whales. 



Remarks. - - This family comprises the so called whale-lices, the 

 systematic position of which is now generally recognized to be in close relation 

 to the Cap fell i dec, though they very much differ as to the outward appear- 

 ance. In the latter respect they much more readily recall some fycnogonidea^ 

 for instance the species of the genus Pycnogonuin, and indeed this external 

 resemblance has, as is well known, caused a confusion of these widely separate 

 groups. Besides the typical genus Cyanms, another genus Platycyamus has 

 been established by Liitken, to include the C. Thomsoni of Gosse, and it is 

 very probable, that on a closer examination of the oral parts and branchial 

 appendages, it will be found necessary to establish several other genera. 

 Only a single species of this family has hitherto been stated to belong to 

 the fauna of Norway, but it is very easy to believe, that several other species 

 will be added in the future, on a closer examination of the whales killed. 

 The Norwegian form has shown itself to be the type of a new genus, nearly 

 allied to Cijamns, though evidently distinct. 



