eusirid amphipod Eusirus perdentatus

Eusirus perdentatus is found throughout Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, and South Orkney Islands from 20 to 928 meters depth; it has also been collected in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean from 0 to 2,000 meters depth [3,4,7]. E. perdentatus can be up to eight centimeters long [1].

Eusirus perdentatus is benthic, waiting to sense prey with its antennae (and probably vision), and then quickly grasping prey to capture it [1]. E. perdentatus has been observed preying on Epimeriella and Epimeria amphipods and lysianassid amphipods [1]. E. perdentatus stomach contents have included polychaetes such as Pontodora pelagica, calanoid copepods, crustaceans, and cnidarians [1,6].



Predators of Eusirus perdentatus include the fish Trematomus hansoni and Trematomus loennbergii [5].

Among malacostracan crustaceans, amphipods are the most abundant and diverse group in benthic Antarctica [2].

1: Polar Biology 10(5):359-364, 1990; 2: Polar Biology 11(1):73-79, 1990; 3: Catalogue of the Marine Gammaridean Amphipoda of the Southern Ocean. JK Lowry, S Bullock. Wellington : Royal Society of New Zealand, 1976. Royal Society of New Zealand Bulletin 16; 4: A Survey of the Marine Fauna in Shallow Coastal Waters of the Vestfold Hills and Rauer Islands, Antarctica. MJ Tucker & HR Burton. ANARE Research Notes 55, 1987; 5: Polar Biology 17(1):62-68, 1997; 6: Polar Biology 24(9):657-662, 2001; 7: Polar Biology 24:744-753, 2001

Text ©Peter Brueggeman. Photographs ©Canadian Museum of Nature (Kathleen Conlan). Photographs may not be used in any form without the express written permission of Canadian Museum of Nature (Kathleen Conlan).