Leptocuma, SARS, 1873

Haye, Pilar A., 2007, Systematics of the genera of Bodotriidae (Crustacea: Cumacea), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 151 (1), pp. 1-58 : 28-29

LEPTOCUMA SARS, 1873

Type species: Leptocuma kinbergii Sars, 1873

Body: Carapace shorter than abdomen and similar in length or shorter than peraeon; abdomen longer than carapace and peraeon together.

Cephalothorax: From dorsal view the carapace may be laterally compressed anteriorly. Carapace may have mid-dorsal ridge. Pseudorostral lappets may extend beyond frontal lobe and towards midline but do not meet (or partially meet leaving a suture between them) or are widely separated. Antennal notch as a depression or as a subacute incision. Anterolateral corner bluntly rounded or with subacute tooth. Frontal lobe from 1/5 to half of the total carapace length; as wide as long or longer than wide; anteriorly linguiform or somewhat extended; may have ocular pigment and/ or eye lenses.

Antenna 1 with basal article of the peduncle arcuate or straight; shorter than the other two articles together; males may have a group of aesthetascs on distal margin of peduncle. Main flagellum may have from two to five articles; with third variable in length with respect to second; may have two aesthetascs in distal-most article and/or two aesthetascs on proximal article. Accessory flagellum uni-articulated. Antenna 2 in males reaching almost the end of pleon. Antenna 2 in females with three articles.

Maxilliped 3 basis arcuate; not projected over ischium. Ischium shorter than merus. Merus extended dorso-distally over carpus, slightly expanded laterally or without dorsal projection. Carpus equal to or shorter than propodus and dactylus together. Propodus may have a brush of setae.

Peraeon: First peraeonite may be visible only above lateral midline. Peraeonite 2 with ventrolateral expansion overriding peraeonite 1 and/or carapace or peraeonite 1 and/or carapace and peraeonite 3. Peraeonite 3 without ventrolateral expansions, extended forward overriding peraeonite 2 or forward and backwards overriding peraeonites 2 and 4. Peraeonite 4 with ventrolateral expansion overriding peraeonite 5, peraeonite 3 or peraeonites 3 and 5.

Females and males with fully developed exopods on peraeopods 1–3 and reduced on peraeopod 4. Peraeopod 1 with basis of variable shape (from straight to geniculated); may have row of setae; inner apical angle absent or as a convex process; with or without a brush (three or more) of long setae on the propodus (setae longer than carpus); carpus equal to or shorter than propodus. Peraeopod 2 with ischium; dactylus variable in length with respect to propodus. Peraeopod 4 with ischium.

Pleon: Pleonite 6 longer than wide or as long as wide; as long as or shorter than peduncle of uropod. Pleonite 6 not produced between the bases of the uropods or whole width slightly or well extended past the insertion of the uropods or only portion, wide or narrow, of distal end of pleonite 6 extended; ending in a point or a rounded apex. Anal plates may extend posteriorly beyond distal margin of pleonite six and may bear setae on posterior margin.

Uropod endopod bi-articulated; two articles approximately same length or proximal article longer than distal one. Uropod exopod with proximal article shorter than distal one. Peduncle of uropods slightly longer than or as long as rami or peduncle slightly shorter than exopods of rami (equal length to endopod); rami approximately same length or endopod longer or shorter than exopod. Males with five pairs of pleopods.

Species included:

1. L. barbarae Tafe & Greenwood, 1996

2. L. borzonei Roccatagliata, 1997

3. L. forsmani Zimmer, 1943

4. L. intermedium Hale, 1944

5. L. kennedyi Tafe & Greenwood, 1996

6. L. kinbergii Sars, 1873

7. L. longidactylum Mühlenhardt-Siegel, 2003

8. L. nichollsi Hale, 1949

9. L. obstipum Hale, 1944

10. L. patagonicum Roccatagliata, 1993

11. L. pulleini Hale, 1928

12. L. serriferum Hale, 1944

13. L. sheardi Hale, 1944

14. L. vicarium Hale, 1944

15. Leptocuma sp. Mühlenhardt-Siegel, 2003

Distribution: With the exception of Leptocuma forsmani , which is present at 10 m off the coast of California in the North-Eastern Pacific Ocean, all species of Leptocuma are inhabitants of the Southern Hemisphere. They are found in the Australian and South American coasts between 0 and 190 m.