344 



Fam. 18. Metidae, 



Characters. Body compact, tapering behind, with the segments closely 

 crowded together, the 1st one of very large size. Both pairs of antennae coarsely 

 built, the anterior ones with the basal joint very large, the posterior ones without 

 any outer ramus. Oral parts very small and closely crowded together, exhibiting 

 a rather anomalous structure. 1st pair of legs differing conspicuously in structure 

 from the 3 succeeding ones and very coarsely built. Last pair of legs in both 

 sexes imperfectly developed. A single ovisac present in female. 



Remarks. This family is established to include the peculiar genus Metis 

 of Philippi (= llyopsyllus Brady), which differs in several respects materially from 

 all other known Harpacticoida. 



Gen. 82. Metis, Philippi, 1843. 



Syn : llyopsyllus, Brady. 



Generic Characters. Body short and stout, gibbous, somewhat resembling 

 that in the genus Westwoodia. Cephalic segment very large and tumid, produced 

 in front to a deflexed rostral projection. Urosome short, tapered, with the genital 

 segment in female imperfectly subdivided. Caudal rami short, truncated at the 

 tip, with the apical setae rather strong. Eye well developed. Anterior antennae 

 6-articulate, 2nd joint 'firmly connected with the 1st, and produced at the end 

 anteriorly to a hood-like projection; those in male distinctly hinged. Posterior 

 antennae with the proximal joint subdivided, distal joint armed with strong claw- 

 like spines. Oral parts densely crowded and together forming an obtuse cone 

 carrying on each side a bisetose appendage (mandibular palp) and behind a narrow 

 median piece bifurcate at the end (posterior maxillipeds). 1st pair of legs very 

 strongly built and armed with claw-like spines, outer ramus 3-articulate, inner 

 shorter and biarticulate. The 3 succeeding pairs of normal structure, with both 

 rami 3-articulate. Last pair of legs extremely small and rudimentary, of differe 

 shape in the two sexes. $j| 



Remarks. This genus was established by Philippi as early as in the 

 year 1843, but was not recognised by Brady, who describes it under another 

 name, viz., llyopsyllus. Brady refers the genus to his sub-family Harpacticina 



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