Acartiidae Sars, 1903

Description. Female. Rostrum with 2 filaments, or without filaments; rostral margin not extended.
Cephalosome and pedigerous somite 1 separate; pedigerous somites 4 and 5 separate. Posterior corners of
prosome in lateral view bluntly rounded, with 1 acute point, triangular or obtusely pointed; dorsal view
symmetrical. Urosome with 3 free somites. Genital double-somite symmetrical in dorsal view; gonopores close
together and partially covered by single cuticular flap, or separate and each covered by cuticular fold; with pair
of seminal receptacles, or without seminal receptacles; with pair of copulatory pores that are completely covered
by genital operculum, or without copulatory pores. Caudal rami symmetrical.

Mouthparts. Antenna 1 with 17–22 free segments; ancestral segments X and XI separate. Antenna 2 exopod
with 4 free segments, 8 setae; basis and endopod fused. Mandible basis with 1 or 2 setae; endopod terminal
segment with 8–9 setae. Maxilla 1 basal exite seta present, or absent; exopod elongate relative to endopod.
Maxilla 2 coxal epipodite seta absent. Maxilliped with coxa large, but basis and endopod reduced; coxal endite 2
with 2 setae, or with 3 setae.

Legs. Leg 1 basis inner distal seta absent, outer seta present, or absent; endopod with 2 segments; exopod
with 3 segments, segment 1 with outer distal spine; exopod segment 3 with 4 inner setae. Leg 2 endopod with 2
segments; exopod with 3 segments, segment 3 with 1 outer spine. Leg 3 basis outer distal spine absent. Legs 3
and 4 endopod with 2 segments; exopod with 3 segments, segment 3 with 1 outer spine and 5 inner setae. Legs
2–4 surfaces naked; exopods with outer edge spines completely fused to their segment; terminal spine with
outer border serrated. Leg 5 present; very dissimilar from legs 2–4; coxa inner border without seta; usually
uniramous, small, symmetrical, not natatory; coxae and intercoxal sclerite fused, or coxae, intercoxal sclerite and
basis fused (Paracartia); basis with outer seta; exopod in form of spine with swollen base or elongate seta; small
endopod present in Acartiella.

Male (sexually dimorphic characters). Pedigerous somites 4 and 5 fused or partly fused. Posterior corners
of prosome in lateral view bluntly rounded, or with 1 acute point. Caudal rami symmetrical, or asymmetrical.
Mouthparts well-developed. Antenna 1 geniculate on right. Maxilliped endopod segments 5 and 6 with outer
setae normal. Right leg 5 uniramous; exopod usually 3-segmented, segments 1 and 2 often with inner processes,
segment 3 opposed to process on segment 2 to form type of subchela. Left leg 5 uniramous; exopod 2-segmented
(3-segmented in Paracartia africana), segment 2 with variously decorated tip.

Mode of life. Pelagic, in oceanic waters or in coastal waters.

Depth distribution. Epipelagic (0–500 m).

Generic composition. This family contains five genera: Acartia Dana, 1846; Acartiella Sewell, 1914;
Paracartia T. Scott, 1894; Paralabidocera Wolfenden 1908; Pteriacartia Belmonte, 1998.