Xenanthura Barnard, 1925

Kensley, B. & Schotte, M., 2000, New species and records of anthuridean isopod crustaceans from the Indian Ocean, Journal of Natural History 34, pp. 2057-2121 : 2099

Genus Xenanthura Barnard, 1925

Xenanthura Barnard, 1925: 138 ; Poore and Lew Ton, 1988c: 186; Kensley and Schotte, 1989: 60.

Diagnosis. Eyes present. Antennular ¯agellum of three articles. Antennal ¯agellum of ®ve to six articles. Mandibular palp of single article. Maxillipedal endite short, triangular, or absent; palp of single fused article. Pereopod 1 subchelate, propodus ināted. Pereopods 2 and 3 with carpi triangular, distally produced, pereopod 3 with tufts of distal setae on produced distal lobes of carpus and merus. Uropodal endopod fused to peduncle, having emargination on mesial margin bearing four robust bottlebrush setae; exopod subcircular, obscuring telson in dorsal view. Telson rhomboid, considerably shorter than uropods.

Remarks. As the two Indian species of Xenanthura have been very super®cially described ( X. linearis was not illustrated), a key to the four Indian Ocean species is not practical. Table 3 provides some characters that help to distinguish the species.