Genus Antarctodius Berge et Vader et Coleman, 1998

Antarctodius Berge, Vader and Coleman, 1998: 244 Antarctodius Coleman and Kauffeldt, 2001: 427

Type species of the genus Antarctodius antarcticus (Watling et Holman, 1981), described as Odius antacticus Watling et Holman, 1981 .

Diagnosis (emended from J. Berge, W. Vader and C. O. Coleman, 1998 with remarks of C. O. Coleman and J. Kauffeldt, 2001 and with author remarks). – Body with rudimentary dorsal keel ( Antarctodius antarcticus with inconspicuous keel, Antarctodius noncarinatus sp. n. without dorsal keel: see below); labrum apically cleft; mandibular body conical (not narrow conical), mandible toothed; labium long but apically truncated, covered by small setae; maxilla 1 palp powerful, 2-articulate; maxilliped palp with 4 articles; pereopod 1 subchelate, propodus with strong spine on the posterodistal corner that forms something like a chela; propodus of pereopod 2 rectangular (its proximal width subequal to the distal one), carpus longer or subequal to propodus; metasome segments 1–3 dorsally smooth or metasome 3 dorsally weekly produced; telson entire. The ancient origin of the genus Antarctodius is proved by a wide distribution – in cold waters of northern and southern hemisphere.

The new genus includes 3 species: Antarctodius antarcticus (Watling et Holman, 1981) and Antacrtodius rauscherti Coleman et Kauffeldt, 2001 from the Southern Ocean near Antarctica; Antarctodius noncarinatus, sp. n. from the Okhotsk Sea (Pacific Ocean).