Cylindroleberididae
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 A cylindroleberidid ostracod from Victoria, Australia
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Cylindroleberididae is a family of ostracods that shows remarkable morphological diversity. The defining feature is the possession of gills: 7-8 leaf-like pairs at the posterior of the body. Other features common to all species in the family include a "baleen-comb" on both the maxilla and the fifth limb, a sword-shaped coxal endite on the mandible, and the triaenid bristles on the basal endites of the mandible [1].
Species of the Cylindroleberididae are found in marine areas, from shallow waters to depths of more than 4500 m [2]. Most species are approximately 2 mm long. There are currently 219 described species [3]. As with most small marine animals, it is likely that many more species await discovery. An interactive key to identify species is available at http://researchdata.museum.vic.gov.au/marine/ostracods/InteractiveKey.htm.
A recently-discovered fossil with preserved soft parts has been assigned to the Cylindroleberididae [4]. The fossil appears to have gills and is thought to be more than 400 million years old.
[edit] References
- ^ Poulsen, E M (1965). Ostracoda-Myodocopa Part 2 Cypridiniformes-Rutidermatidae, Sarsiellidae and Asteropidae. Dana Report No. 65 XII: 1–483.
- ^ Kornicker, L S (1981). Revision, distribution, ecology, and ontogeny of the ostracode subfamily Cyclasteropinae (Myodocopina: Cylinderoleberididae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 319: 1–548.
- ^ Syme, A.E. and Poore, G.C.B (2006). A checklist of species of Cylindroleberididae (Crustacea:Ostracoda) (PDF). Museum Victoria Science Reports 9: 1–20.
- ^ Siveter, D, M D Sutton, D E G Briggs, & D Siveter (2003). An ostracode crustacean with soft parts from the Lower Silurian. Science 302: 1749–1751.
