Sinoecetes Ren, 2012

Sinoecetes Ren, 2012, diagnosis in Chinese p. 68; diagnosis in English p. 537.

Remarks. A defining characteristic of Sinoecetes (type and hitherto only species Sinoecetes sinensis Ren, 2012, fig. 29) within the Bubocorophiina is the lack of uropod 2. This is shared by the six species of north and northeast Australian Belkginoecetes Just, 2012b . However, Sinoecetes differs from Belkginoecetes in possessing a single round ramus on uropod 3 (ramus absent in Belkginoecetes), and a head with pseudorostrum instead of a true frontmargin derived rostrum. The latter character is not mentioned in Ren’s diagnosis or description, nor illustrated in his dorsal view of the head. Sinoecetes sinensis may have the same head characteristics, but differences in magnification and hence rendition may have prevented Ren seeing the thin, semitransparent front margin overhanging the pseudorostrum. In his description of Sinoecetes sinensis Ren states “flagellum [of antenna 2] 2- articulated, ventrodistal end of article 1 with 2 spines, ventral margin of article 2 with 2 spines”. If correct, this would be the only one of the about 85 species in the tribe to exhibit such fusion of the normal 4 segments. Until reassessed I do not consider this in assigning the new species to Sinoecetes Ren, 2012 .