Alvarez, 1986
Short Description:
Paracomantenna gracilis is an aetideid calanoid copepod known after female (1.4 mm in length) off Brazilian coast, collected above sea-bottom.
Taxonomic Description:
Female. (Description after Alvarez (1986) with modifications). Total length 1.4 mm. Cephalothorax about 3 times longer than abdomen. Cephalon and Th1 fused, incomplete suture visible dorsally. Rostrum absent. Th5 posterior corners upturned, when looking dorsally not reaching the midlength of genital segment. A1 23-segmented, reaching Th4. Re A2 as long as Ri A2; Re1 without seta, Re2 with 1 distal seta, Re7 longer than 4 previous segments with 3 long terminal seta, A2 basipodite with 2 setae, Ri1 A2 with 1 seta, Ri2 A2 with 4 long and 4 small setae on internal lobe and 5 long setae and 1 small on external lobe. Md palp base with 1 small seta, Ri1 A2 with 1, Ri2 Md with 5 setae. Mx1 gnathobase with 8 terminal and 4 surface setae, second internal lobe with 4, third with 3 setae, protopodite near the Ri base with 4 setae, Ri with 12, Re with 11 setae, external lobe with 8 setae. First to fourth endites of Mx2 with spines and teeth, on posterior surface that on second endite are largest (4 longer and 4 smaller), one of setae on fourth and fifth endites transformed into spine, the one on fifth endite strong, carrying row of 17 laminar spines. Mxp protopodite with 1 proximal seta, then 3 groups of 2, 3 and 3 setae (when looking from proximal to distal end of segment) in addition in distal setae group long tube-like appendage present. P1-P4 with segmentation typical of the Aetideidae. Re P1 3-segmented with external spine on each segment, Ri P1 with well developed external lobe covered with hairs apically.
Male unknown.
Vertical distribution:
The species was collected at 135 m depth above sea bottom (Alvarez, 1986).
Geographical distribution:
Atlantic Ocean: off the Brazilian coast (Alvarez, 1986).
Type locality: 28°36'S 47°55'W (Alvarez, 1986).
Material examined:
The species absent in the collections of the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg.