Platorchestia Bousfield, 1982

Platorchestia Bousfield, 1982: 26 .— Jo, 1988: 160.— Richardson, 1991: 186.— Morino & Ortal, 1995: 825.— Miyamoto & Morino, 2004: 68.

Type species. Orchestia platensis Krøyer, 1845, original designation.

Currently* included species: P. ano Lowry & Bopiah, 2013; P. crassicornis (Costa, 1867), not P. crassicornis (Derzhavin, 1937) = Demaorchestia joi (Stock & Biernbaum, 1994) com. nov.; P. munmui Jo, 1988; P. pachypus (Derzhavin, 1937); P. pacifica Miyamoto & Morino, 2004; P. paraplatensis Serejo & Lowry, 2008; P. platensis (Krøyer, 1845); P. smithi Lowry, 2012 .

Ecological type. Beach-hopper.

Habitat. Among stranded algae and beach detritus on marine shores.

Size. 8–15 mm,

Remarks. Platorchestia is very similar to the north-western Pacific genus Sinorchestia . They differ mainly in the ventral plate on antenna 2 peduncular article 3 (absent in Platorchestia); in the fourth article of the maxillipedal palp (reduced, button-shaped in Platorchestia, absent in Sinorchestia); and in gnathopod 1 (subchelate in Platorchestia, parachelate in Sinorchestia).

Species inquirenda. Platorchestia chathamensis Bousfield, 1982 (based on a female).

* A generic revision is currently in preparation by AAM and JKL