Paracomantenna Campaner, 1978
Taxonomic description:
Female. (Description after Campaner (1978) with modifications). Total length 1.4-1.9 mm. Cephalothorax about 3.0-3.8 times longer than abdomen. Cephalon and Th1 fused, Th4-Th5 fused, or separated. Crest absent. Rostrum absent. Th5 and genital segment symmetrical. Posterior Th5 corners prolonged into points, upturned backwards. A1 23-segmented. Re A2 slightly shorter, or equal to Ri A2. A2 basipodite with 1-2 setae, Ri1 A2 with 1, Ri2 A2 with 8 setae on internal and 5 terminal and 1 posterior setae on external lobes, Re1 A2 without setae, Re2 A2 with 1 seta, each segment of Re3-Re6 A2 with 1 seta, Re7 with 3 terminal setae. Length of Re7 A2 typical of Aetideidae. Md palp base with 1 seta, or it is absent, Ri1 Md with 1, Ri2 Md with 4-5 setae. Mx1 gnathobase with 9 terminal thickened claw-like spines, 1 shorter seta, and 4 setae on posterior surface. Second Mx1 internal lobe with 4, third with 3, protopodite near Ri base with 4-5, Ri with 12, Re with 11, external lobe with 7 setae. Fourth and fifth endites of Mx2 each with 1 seta thickened into sclerotized spines (after Farran (1905), only seta on fifth endite is thickened into spine). Surfaces of Mx2 first and second endites, or first-fourth endites with rows of large foliaceous, thick, strongly sclerotized spines. Mxp protopodite with or without digital appendage near the base of distal setae group, in other features Mxp protopodite setation typical of Aetideidae, but there may be 2, not 3 setae in distal setae group. Re P1 3-segmented, each segment with external spine; external lobe of Ri P1 well developed, with hairs apically. Ri P2 2-segmented, all other swimming leg rami 3-segmented. P4 coxopodite without spines.
Male unknown.
Remarks. Campaner (1978) established Paracomantenna from the following features: developed terminal setae on Re7 A2, shape of large spines on Mx2 endites surfaces. P. minor (Farran, 1905) = Bryaxis minor Farran, 1905 was choosen as the type species, but as properly noted later, Bradford and Jillett (1980) it is questionable why P. minor and P. magalyae are attributed to the same genus despite the absence of sensory (digital) appendage on Mxp protopodite in P. minor.
Type species: Bryaxis minor Farran, 1905, by original designation.
The genus Paracomantenna includes 3 species.
Paracomantenna gracilis Alvarez, 1986
Paracomantenna magalyae Campaner, 1978
Paracomantenna minor (Farran, 1905)