6 - Sphaeromatidae::“Cute As Buttons”

Excorallana 161
Stone and Heard, 1989, from the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. The latter
species, particularly, could conceivably be encountered in the Florida Keys.
Delaney (1984) provides a useful review of the genus Excorallana, and of the
distribution of the species.
Key to species of Excorallana
1. Eyes contiguous 2
Eyes well separated 4
2. Apex of pleotelson with deep slit Jissicauda
Apex of pleotelson entire 3
3. Pleotelson with lateral incision oculata
Pleotelson lacking lateral incision warmingii
4. Pleotelson with lateral incision 6
Pleotelson lacking lateral incision 5
5. Frontal lamina linguiform, anteriorly rounded berbicensis
Frontal lamina posteriorly with faintly concave margins, anteriorly
subacute delaneyi
6. Frontal lamina strongly grooved for entire length 7
Frontal lamina with ventral surface flat 8
7. Pleotelson with medial row of small tubercles flanked by row of larger
tubercles in posterior half mexicana
Pleotelson lacking rows of tubercles in posterior half antillensis
8. Frontal lamina distinctly bell shaped; 8 cephalon with two pairs of
tubercles and antennular bases not tuberculate quadricornis
Frontal lamina, and 6 cephalon and antennules not as above 9
9. Frontal lamina anteriorly broadly rounded, length 1.5 or less times
basal width; 6 cephalon with two pairs of tubercles and basal
antennular article each with tubercle sexticornis
Frontal lamina anteriorly narrowly rounded, length about twice basal
width; 8 cephalon with three tubercles, tubercles lacking on
antennular bases tricornis tricornis