Gnathia oxyuraea

(Lilljeborg, 1855)

Description
— Praniza. Full description not available. Pereion segments 3-5 fused and inflated. Cephalon triangular, with convex lateral margins. Telson similar to the telson of the adult, but less elongated and more pointed.
G. oxyurea is distinguished from Gnathia maxillaris on base of the morphology of the telson.
— Male. Only five pairs of ambulatory pereiopods. Cephalon fused with two pereion segments, limbs of the second fused segment modified as flattened pylopods, which cover the mouthparts ventrally. Adult male pylopod of two or three articles.
Front of the cephalon with a median tooth bordered by a shallow concavity on each side; lateral corners square. Cephalon broader than long and with a pronounced ridge over each eye. Lateral tooth of mandible somewhat indistinct. Last pereion segment reduced and without limbs; best seen in males, where it is narrow and equal in width to the pleon segments. Large mandibles, which project in front of the cephalon and are forceps-like.

Size
Size of praniza unknown; male body length 2.4 to 5.4 mm (females 3.9 mm).

Depth range
Unknown.

Distribution in the North Sea
Northern North Sea.

World distribution
NE Atlantic from Barents Sea to the Mediterranean.

[description after Monod, 1926]

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