Ampithoidae is a family of amphipod crustaceans. The family has a worldwide distribution as algal dwellers. They commonly create tube-shaped nests on their host plants or algae which serve as both shelter and food. Young ampithoids develop from eggs to a larval stage within their mother's brood-pouch, formed by the appendages of her abdomen.
Genera
The World Register of Marine Species includes the following genera in this family:-
- Amphithoides <small>Kossmann, 1880</small>
- Amphitholina <small>Ruffo, 1953</small>
- Ampithoe <small>Leach, 1814</small>
- Austrothoe <small>Peart, 2014</small>
- Biancolina <small>Della Valle, 1893</small>
- Cymadusa <small>Savigny, 1816</small>
- Exampithoe <small>K.H. Barnard, 1926</small>
- Macropisthopus <small>K.H. Barnard, 1916</small>
- Paradusa <small>Ruffo, 1969</small>
- Paragrubia <small>Chevreux, 1901</small>
- Paranexes <small>Peart, 2014</small>
- Pleonexes <small>Spence Bate, 1857</small>
- Plumithoe <small>Barnard & Karaman, 1991</small>
- Pseudamphithoides <small>Ortiz, 1976</small> (e.g. Pseudamphithoides incurvaria)
- Pseudopleonexes <small>Conlan, 1982</small>
- Sunamphitoe <small>Spence Bate, 1857</small> (e.g. Sunamphitoe femorata)
References
Further reading