Paramaldane, Wang, Yueyun & Li, Xinzheng, 2016

Wang, Yueyun & Li, Xinzheng, 2016, A new Maldane species and a new Maldaninae genus and species (Maldanidae, Annelida) from coastal waters of China, ZooKeys 603, pp. 1-16 : 2

Taxon classification Animalia Capitellida Maldanidae

Genus Paramaldane gen. n.

Type species.

Paramaldane glandicincta sp. n.

Diagnosis.

Body with19 chaetigers. Cephalic plate circular. Prostomial palpode bluntly rounded, and confluent with cephalic rim. Cephalic rim low and entire with slight incisions. Cephalic keel short. First chaetiger without collar. Chaetiger 6 with a collar-like glandular band. Neurochaetae beginning to present on the second chaetiger. Notochaetae spirally fringed with short companion chaetae. Two preanal achaetigerous segment. Anus dorsal, with anal valve. Anal plate well-developed, but no anal cirri; with two lateral deep incisions on anal rim.

Etymology.

The generic name is a combination of the prefix para- (meaning resembing) and the generic name Maldane . The new genus is related to Maldane in morphology. Gender: feminine.

Remarks.

The new genus Paramaldane is superficially similar to Maldane Grube, 1860 and Sabaco Kinberg, 1867. The anal plate and notochaetae type of Paramaldane are closer to Maldane . The shape of prostomial palpode and nuchal grooves are closer to Sabaco . However, the new genus can be easily distinguished by the characters of the cephalic plate, which are considered to be of generic importance ( Light 1991; Green 1994). The cephalic rim of Maldane and Sabaco is divided into two lateral lobes and a posterior lobe by deep lateral notches, but that of the Paramaldane is almost smooth. The prostomial palpode of Maldane is spade-like, but that of Paramaldane is bluntly rounded and confluent with cephalic rim. Both Sabaco and Paramaldane have small crescentic nuchal grooves that are isolated from cephalic rim, but Sabaco has a complete collar on the first chaetiger that is lacking in Paramaldane . Notochaetae of Sabaco have long companion chaetae, but companion notochaetae of Paramaldane are short. An identification key to the genera of Maldaninae modified from Light (1991) is provided below.