CAPRELLIDAE OF WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC 



lo: 



to this t3'pe of pelagic en\4ronment. Some species, particularly 

 Phtisica marina, are at least transient members of the plankton. 

 In view of these semipelagic habitats, it is not too remarkable that 

 these organisms are spread over very large areas. 



Table 3. — Known distribution of Caprellidae in the tvestern North Atlantic 



Relationship Between the Amphipod Suborders 

 Gammaridea and Caprellidea 



The Caprellidea appear to have arisen from a podocerid typo of 

 gammaridean. Generally considered primitive caprcllids such as 

 Cercops share many characters in common with the Podoceridae, and 

 a comparison of the figures of the podocerid Neoxendice (fig. 49a) 

 and the caprellid Cercops (fig. 49e) shows the overall general similarity 

 of body forms. 



2T<» 4 7.5— 68 8 



