The hunchback amphipod, ''Iphimedia gibba'', is a
species of
amphipod
Amphipoda is an order of malacostracan crustaceans with no carapace and generally with laterally compressed bodies. Amphipods range in size from and are mostly detritivores or scavengers. There are more than 9,900 amphipod species so far descr ...
crustacean. It is a
marine
Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean.
Marine or marines may refer to:
Ocean
* Maritime (disambiguation)
* Marine art
* Marine biology
* Marine debris
* Marine habitats
* Marine life
* Marine pollution
Military
* ...
arthropod in the
family Iphimediidae
Iphimediidae is a family of amphipods belonging to the order Amphipoda.
Genera:
* ''Acanthozoma'' Boeck, 1876
* ''Anchiphimedia'' Barnard, 1930
* ''Anisoiphimedia'' Karaman, 1980
* ''Coboldus'' Krapp-Schickel, 1974
* ''Echiniphimedia'' Barnard, ...
. It was first described in 1955 by
Keppel Harcourt Barnard as ''Cypsiphimedia gibba''.
Distribution
This species is found off the
South African coast from the
Cape Peninsula to
Port Elizabeth
Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Sou ...
, from the subtidal down to at least .
Description
The hunchback amphipod is a small but conspicuous amphipod, not reaching more than in size. It is vividly striped in blue and yellow. It has blue sideplates. The body is hunched so that the head faces downwards.
References
Gammaridea
Crustaceans described in 1940
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