Samouelle, 1819
Diagnosis
Body ovate, oblong or elongate, and dorso-ventrally flattened. Pereion somites are all about equal in length and pereiopods are all more or less similar. The pleon somites are variously coalesced depending on genus. Uropods usually uniramous. Antennule (a1) with a single-segmented flagellum; antenna (a2) relatively short, with a single- or multi-segmented flagellum. Mandibular palp absent; maxilliped with two-segmented epipod. Male coxa short, usually membraneous. Pereiopods increasing in length posteriorly, otherwise similar. Pleopods leaf-like.
Idoteid isopods are benthic, but occasionally planktonic. The key to the North Sea species starts at Page 183: Valvifera: Idotea. The following species are included:
Idotea balthica
Idotea chelipes
Idotea emarginata
Idotea granulosa
Idotea linearis
Idotea metallica
Idotea neglecta
Idotea pelagica