The Gammaridean and Caprellid Amphipoda of Southern Africa

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dc.contributor.authorGriffiths, Charles Len_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-01-12T11:27:50Z
dc.date.available2016-01-12T11:27:50Z
dc.date.issued1974en_ZA
dc.description.abstractIt is the intention of this thesis to bring together the existing scattered data concerning the Amphipoda of southern Africa, to add records from unidentified collections and to present the whole in a form that will provide a firm basis for future work in this field. The collections examine d are principally those of the University of Cape Town, the South African Museum and the National Institute for Water Research. These collections are together much larger than any previously reported from southern Africa (in excess of 90 000 specimens from several thousand stations). Findings are presented in a series of five regional papers. Each paper includes brief descriptions of principal collecting areas and their faunas and an analysis of species collected. Station data, references and distributions are provided for all species, while a short diagnosis is given with the first reference to each species. A total of 299 gammaridean and caprellid species is recognised. One family (Temnophliidae), four genera (Chaka, Cunicus, Dikwa, Janice) and 39 species are described as new to science; while 21 others are recorded from southern Africa for the first time. Nine existing species are relegated as synonyms. Following the five regional taxonomic papers, a synoptic guide to the benthic amphipods of the region is provided. This is intended to provide the non-specialist with a means of identifying his own material. A brief guide to methods of collection, storage and examination is provided and is followed by comprehensive fully illustrated keys to the families, genera and species of gammaridean and caprellid Amphipoda recorded from Africa south of 20 degree S, 0-1000m. The figures cover virtually all species, including many never before illustrated and will hopefully reduce the need for exhaustive knowledge of morphological nomenclature, or of extensive reference facilities, before identifications can be made. An appendix provides reference to more detailed descriptions of each species, gives their distributions world-wide and within southern Africa, and lists common synonyms. A concluding chapter discusses modes of dispersal of amphipods and possible origins of the southern African fauna. The region can apparently be divided into tropical, subtropical and temperate provinces, the first two dominantly populated by species of tropical origins and the third rich in endemic forms. This pattern is paralleled in other groups such as the polychaeta. It is concluded that although southern Africa is rich in endemic species and genera it is not a centre for the evolution of major taxa but rather an evolutionary outpost where immigrant forms have evolved under reduced pressure.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationGriffiths, C. L. (1974). <i>The Gammaridean and Caprellid Amphipoda of Southern Africa</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16375en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationGriffiths, Charles L. <i>"The Gammaridean and Caprellid Amphipoda of Southern Africa."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 1974. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16375en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationGriffiths, C. 1974. The Gammaridean and Caprellid Amphipoda of Southern Africa. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Griffiths, Charles L AB - It is the intention of this thesis to bring together the existing scattered data concerning the Amphipoda of southern Africa, to add records from unidentified collections and to present the whole in a form that will provide a firm basis for future work in this field. The collections examine d are principally those of the University of Cape Town, the South African Museum and the National Institute for Water Research. These collections are together much larger than any previously reported from southern Africa (in excess of 90 000 specimens from several thousand stations). Findings are presented in a series of five regional papers. Each paper includes brief descriptions of principal collecting areas and their faunas and an analysis of species collected. Station data, references and distributions are provided for all species, while a short diagnosis is given with the first reference to each species. A total of 299 gammaridean and caprellid species is recognised. One family (Temnophliidae), four genera (Chaka, Cunicus, Dikwa, Janice) and 39 species are described as new to science; while 21 others are recorded from southern Africa for the first time. Nine existing species are relegated as synonyms. Following the five regional taxonomic papers, a synoptic guide to the benthic amphipods of the region is provided. This is intended to provide the non-specialist with a means of identifying his own material. A brief guide to methods of collection, storage and examination is provided and is followed by comprehensive fully illustrated keys to the families, genera and species of gammaridean and caprellid Amphipoda recorded from Africa south of 20 degree S, 0-1000m. The figures cover virtually all species, including many never before illustrated and will hopefully reduce the need for exhaustive knowledge of morphological nomenclature, or of extensive reference facilities, before identifications can be made. An appendix provides reference to more detailed descriptions of each species, gives their distributions world-wide and within southern Africa, and lists common synonyms. A concluding chapter discusses modes of dispersal of amphipods and possible origins of the southern African fauna. The region can apparently be divided into tropical, subtropical and temperate provinces, the first two dominantly populated by species of tropical origins and the third rich in endemic forms. This pattern is paralleled in other groups such as the polychaeta. It is concluded that although southern Africa is rich in endemic species and genera it is not a centre for the evolution of major taxa but rather an evolutionary outpost where immigrant forms have evolved under reduced pressure. DA - 1974 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1974 T1 - The Gammaridean and Caprellid Amphipoda of Southern Africa TI - The Gammaridean and Caprellid Amphipoda of Southern Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16375 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/16375
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationGriffiths CL. The Gammaridean and Caprellid Amphipoda of Southern Africa. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 1974 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16375en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherZoologyen_ZA
dc.titleThe Gammaridean and Caprellid Amphipoda of Southern Africaen_ZA
dc.typeDoctoral Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoral
dc.type.qualificationnamePhDen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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