Renella, Lowry & Stoddart, 2012

Lowry, J. K. & Stoddart, H. E., 2012, The Pachynidae fam. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Lysianassoidea) 3246, Zootaxa 3246 (1), pp. 1-69 : 53-54

Renella gen. nov.

Type species. Drummondia sculptidentata Ren in Ren & Huang, 1991.

Etymology. The generic name is based on the name of the author of the type species, Dr Xiang Ren.

Diagnostic description. Body shape slender. Head lateral cephalic lobe large, broadly rounded. Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 with posterodistal spine; accessory flagellum article 1 short; flagellum with callynophore in female. Mandible with accessory setal row present on both sides; left lamina dentata absent; palp attached distally; palp article 2 broad, article 3 with anterior margin convex, not tapered distally. Maxilla 1 outer plate setalteeth with medial cusps, STA–STD present; palp vestigial, 2-articulate. Maxilliped inner plate small; outer plate large; palp 4-articulate, article 4 large. Gnathopod 1 ischium smaller than propodus; corner of palm with complex robust seta. Gnathopod 2 palm transverse. Epimeron 3 posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Uropod 3 biramous.

Species composition. Renella sculptidentata (Ren in Ren & Huang 1991).

Remarks. Renella has a vestigial maxilla 1 palp, similar to Coriolisa , Prachynella and Sheardella . It differs from Coriolisa and Prachynella in having a well-developed fourth article on the maxillipedal palp. Renella and Sheardella have a number of significant differences, but can be easily distinguished by uropod 3 which is biramous in Renella and uniramous in Sheardella . Renella is currently a monotypic genus confined to Antarctic waters.