Amphipods in the parvorder Oedicerotidira are burrowers, furrowers, or surface skimmers. Members of the parvorder share a well-developed posteroventral lobe on coxa 4, an equilobate coxa 5, an immensely elongate pereopod 7 that differs in structure from pereopod 6, and an entire telson. Within the parvorder, only the family Oedicerotidae has been documented from Bocas del Toro, Panama, represented by two species. This research documents a range extension for Hartmanodesnyei (Shoemaker, 1933) and describes a new species of Synchelidium Sars, 1892. An identification key to the species of Caribbean Oedicerotidae of Panama is provided.
Keywords: Bocas del Toro; Caribbean; Hartmanodesnyei; Oedicerotidae; Panama; Synchelidiumpurpurivitellum sp. nov.; identification key; new species.
Elizabeth L. Durham, Kristine N. White.