Chiropsella, Gershwin, 2006

Gershwin, Lisa-Ann, 2006, Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new genera and two new species, Zootaxa 1231 (1), pp. 1-42 : 25

Genus Chiropsella , gen. nov.

Type species: Chiropsella bronzie , gen. et sp. nov., herein designated.

Diagnosis

Chiropsalmidae with divided pedalial canal, with each of the two branches giving rise to the fingers of the pedalia in a unilateral fashion, alternate or opposite to those on the other fork; with gastric saccules sessile, solid and unbranched.

Etymology

Chirops ­ to maintain a close relationship with Chiropsalmus , and ­ ella, an affectionate suffix.

Remarks

The form of the gastric saccules was used by Haeckel (1880) to erect the genus Chirodropus as separate from Chiropsalmus , and again by Southcott (1956) to erect the new genus Chironex ; the pedalial branching is also different between Chiropsalmus and these two genera, though this was not noted in either case. The form of the pedalial branching was used by Southcott (1956) to erect the genus Chiropsoides to pull another species away from Chiropsalmus , even though the gastric saccules were remarkably similar. All three of these generic erections have been widely accepted. In the case of the present species, it differs just as greatly in the form of both the saccules and the pedalial branching. At least one other species (from the Northern Territory, Australia) will soon be added to this new genus (Gershwin and Alderslade In review 2006).