Microcerberidae Explained

The Microcerberidae are a family of isopod crustaceans. They are less than 2mm long, and live interstitially in shallow marine or freshwater sand habitats.^[1]

Marine microcerberids comprise the main part species diversity, but are very alike. As a group, they have very broad distribution:

• the majority of Coxicerberus: Americas, southern coasts of Europe, Africa, warm waters of Asia, New Zealand
• "Microcerberus" monodi: Angola

Freshwater taxa are less abundant in species number (only 12 species), but are more morphologically diverse and include seven or eight genera. They have these distributions:

• Afrocerberus and Protocerberus: central and southern Africa
• Bulgarocerberus

Bulgaria

• Isoyvesia

Cuba

• Mexicerberus

Mexico

• Microcerberus

South Carolina, Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia

• "Microcerberus" remyi: Morocco
• Coxicerberus ruffoi: northern Italy

Notes and References

1. Web site: Guide to the Coastal Marine Isopods of California . Richard Brusca, Vania R. Coelho & Stefano Taiti . Suborder Microcerberidea. . 2009-02-22 .