Ampelisca macrocephala

Liljeborg, 1852

Description:
Urosome segment 1 with a small flattened dorsal keel. Epimeral plate 3 with a very large tooth on the distal angle, posterior margin strongly sinuous. Head rather broadly truncated, ventral margin weakly convex. Female antenna 1 short, only reaching end of peduncle of antenna 2, peduncle article 1 broad and little shorter than 2, flagellum about 12-articulate, sparsely setose; antenna 1 in male reaching well beyond end of peduncle of antenna 2. female antenna 2 half body length, peduncle article 5 much shorter than 4; in male antenna 2 much longer than in female. Pereiopod 3 merus without distal lobe; pereiopods 3 and 4 dactylus curved and about equal to length of carpus and propodus combined. Pereiopod 7 basis equal to length of rest of appendage, ischium shorter than merus, merus with small posterodistal lobe, carpus broad distally, merus and carpus with few long plumose setae, propodus elongate oval. Uropods 1 and 2 with small marginal spines except uropod 2 outer ramus which also has single long subterminal spine: uropod 3 rami with numerous long setae. Telson elongate, deeply cleft, each lobe with 3 or 4 dorsal, and 1 or 2 apical, setules.

Size:
Up to 15 mm.

Colour:
Whitish, mottled with pink and yellow.

Habitat:
Depth range from 10 to 280 metres, often on muddy sediments.

Distribution:
Circumpolar; Arctic Ocean; North Atlantic. American and European coasts, north and west Norway; Ă–resund, North Sea. Southerly limit in North Sea about 55 N. Also recorded south west of Ireland.

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