Lepidastheniella Monro, 1924

Barnich, R & Fiege, D, 2004, Revision of the genus Lepidastheniella Monro, 1924 (Polychaeta: Polynoidae: Lepidastheniinae) with notes on the subfamily Lepidastheniinae and the description of a new species, Journal of Natural History 38, pp. 863-876 : 865-868

Lepidastheniella Monro, 1924 , emended

Type species. Lepidastheniella comma (Thomson, 1902) , as Polynoe comma .

Diagnosis. Body cylindrical, long, with more than 50 segments and numerous pairs of elytra showing gradual reduction in size posteriorly. Elytra on segments 2, 4, 5, alternating to end of body. Prostomium with three antennae; lateral antennae inserted terminally, ceratophores distinct; two pairs of eyes, anterior pair dorsolaterally on widest part of prostomium, posterior pair dorsally close behind anterior pair. Parapodia sub-biramous, with or without notochaetae; neuropodia notched dorsally and ventrally; neuropodial lobes rounded; tips of noto- and neuro-acicula not penetrating epidermis. Neurochaetae stout, falcate; with distinct rows of spines; distally with or without crest near tip; tips uni- and/or bidentate. Nephridial papillae distinctly visible in posterior part of body.

Remarks. Lepidastheniella Monro, 1924 is close to Lepidasthenia Malmgren, 1867 , but the difference in the elytral arrangement, which is also used to separate other genera among the Lepidastheniinae , justifies the validity of the former (see also tables 1, 2 and the remarks related to the subfamily above).