CLAVE GRAFICA PARA LA IDENTIFICACION DE FAMILIAS Y GENEROS DE ANFIPODOS DEL SUBORDEN GAMMARIDEA DEL ATLANTICO OCCIDENTAL TROPICAL

Abstract

The study of amphipod crustaceans has recently increased significantly, mostly because of their great ecological importance. Those of the tropical western Atlantic, have not been an exception. The study of this group is so complex that families, genera, or species, are rarely included in ecological studies of the marine benthos of this area. The pictorial key presented herein is designed to facilitate the identification of the 30 families and 137 genera of amphipods of the Suborder Gammaridea (excluding fresh-water forms) from the tropical western Atlantic. There is no precedent in amphipod literature of such a key, at least to generic level.