Paraeupolymnia Young and Kritzler, 1987

Londoño-Mesa, Mario H., 2006, Revision of Paraeupolymnia, and redescription of Nicolea uspiana comb. nov. (Terebellidae: Polychaeta), Zootaxa 1117, pp. 21-35 : 23-24

Genus Paraeupolymnia Young and Kritzler, 1987

Young and Kritzler, 1987:687–689.— Hutchings, 1997:495. — McHugh, 1995:412.

Diagnosis emended: Two pairs of dichotomous branchiae on segments 2 and 3; ventral shields from segment 2 to posterior thorax; only one pair of lateral lappets well­developed, shared by segment 2 ventrally and segment 3 latero­dorsally; ventrally connected to first ventral shield. Anterior thoracic region with or without dorsal tubercles in transverse rows on each segment. Paired parapodia from segment 4, notopodia from segment 4 and continuing for 17 segments, bearing notochaetae as bilimbate smooth­tipped capillaries. Neuropodia from segment 5, in single rows of uncini for first six chaetigers; then, in double rows to end of thorax. Abdomen with uncini in single rows. Uncini avicular, variable number of teeth over main fang, MF:1:1–4. Nephridial papillae on segments 3–4 and 6–7, situated dorsally at the base of notopodia. Medium­sized terebellids (10–50 mm).

Type species: Paraeupolymnia carus Young and Kritzler, 1987 , by original designation.

Remarks: The diagnosis had to be emended. Young and Kritzler (1987) characterized the genus by the virtual absence of ventral shields (glandular scutes), lateral lappets on segment two, notopodia (thoracic chaetigers) from segment 3, and uncini in single rows throughout seven neuropodia (chaetigers). McHugh (1995) and Nogueira (2003) state that the genus has ventral shields from segment two to the mid­posterior thorax, thoracic chaetigers from segment 4, and uncini in single rows on the first six neuropodial chaetigers (segments 5–10). Broadening the generic diagnosis of Paraeupolymnia to include species with or without lateral lappets as proposed by Nogueira (2003) is not accepted as the presence of lateral lappets is regarded as a useful and stable generic feature.

On the other hand, the presence of dorsal tubercles on the anterior thoracic region is a useful specific character; P. garciagomezi sp. nov. is characterized by this feature, whereas in P. c a r u s the thoracic region is essentially smooth, only with some wrinkles possibly because of fixation. The tubercles present on the first species may be arranged in two or three transversal irregular rows on the dorsal surface of the anterior thorax (segments 2– 14); tubercles may be rounded or square.