Oxinasphaera, Bruce, 1997

Schotte, Marilyn & Kensley, Brian, 2005, New species and records of Flabellifera from the Indian Ocean (Crustacea: Peracarida: Isopoda), Journal of Natural History 39 (16), pp. 1211-1282 : 1262

Key to western Indian Ocean species of Oxinasphaera (males only)

1. Pleon with two prominent submedian processes extending to mid-length of uropodal endopod.............. O. brucei sp. nov. [Off Mozambique]

– Pleon with submedian processes not reaching mid-length of uropodal endopod. 2

2. Epistome with transverse blade and without prominent spikes...... 3

– Epistome without transverse blade and with prominent spikes...... 4

3. Epistome with trapezoidal blade having U-shaped notch on distal margin; antennular peduncle article 1 with five equal anterior spikes.......................... O. furcata sp. nov. [Off Somalia]

– Epistome with quadrate blade bearing small, irregular tubercles; antennular peduncle article 1 with five irregular anterior spikes.......................... O. kensleyi Bruce, 1997 [Off Durban and East London, South Africa]

4. Epistome with four posteriorly directed spikes; antennular peduncle article 1 with seven irregular anterior spikes; rostral spike absent............................ O. tetrodon sp. nov. [ Zanzibar]

– Epistome with three prominent and two smaller spikes; antennular peduncle article 1 with six equal anterior spikes; rostral spike prominent, bifurcate..... O. penteumbonata Benvenuti, Messana and Schotte, 2000 , [ Somalia]