Protoariciella Hartmann-Schröder, 1962

Zhadan, Anna, 2020, Review of Orbiniidae (Annelida, Sedentaria) from Australia, Zootaxa 4860 (4), pp. 451-502 : 493

Genus Protoariciella Hartmann-Schröder, 1962

Protoariciella Hartmann-Schröder, 1962: 133–134 .

Diagnosis. Prostomium rounded, 2 eyes present or absent; two achaetous peristomial segments; branchiae from chaetiger 5–8, can be absent in posteriormost segments; notopodia with crenulated capillaries; forked chaetae, subuluncini and acicular chaetae present or absent; neuropodia with crenulated capillaries and serrated or smooth uncini.

Remarks. Blake (2017) supposed that due to their small size (<10 mm) all Protoariciella species are likely juveniles of Leodamas or Naineris . In addition, he described Naineris antarctica Blake, 2017 , which is very similar to Protoariciella . In fact, a worm identified as P. uncinata has been shown to be a juvenile of Leodamas tribulosus ( Bleidorn et al. 2009) . Phylogenetic molecular investigations are required to confirm or disprove this statement for other Protoariciella species. At least for Protoariciella oligobranchia , the presence of eggs was reported ( Hobson 1976). Protoariciella is accepted as a valid genus here.