Pseudoleptochelia Lang, 1973

BAMBER, ROGER N, 2013, A re-assessment of Konarus Bamber, 2006 and sympatric leptocheliids from Australasia, and of Pseudoleptochelia Lang, 1973 (Crustacea: Peracarida: Tanaidacea), Zootaxa 3694 (1), pp. 1-39 : 28

Genus Pseudoleptochelia Lang, 1973 restricted

Diagnosis. Females with tubercle-mounted setae (or setose tubercles) on meri of pereopods 4 and 5 but not of pereopod 6, distinct cap-like flagellar segment on the antennule absent, dorsal margin of cheliped carpus with setae. Cephalothorax about 1.2 times as long as wide, demarcation of second thoracomere by faint line, rather than by separation of carapace plates or by a groove. Cheliped coxal sclerite with two setae, carpus with setose dorsal margin. Ischium of pereopod 1 with two setae; dorsoproximal seta on basis of pereopod 1 shorter than basis width, longer distal seta of carpus of pereopod 1 shorter than carpus, dactylus of pereopod 1 with proximal seta shorter than dactylus; two setae on ischia of pereopods 2 and 3, propodi of posterior pereopods with dorsodistal setae, uropod exopod two-segmented but segmentation may be unclear. Body length about 5.5 times width. Males without mid-ventral carpal or propodal apophyses on cheliped; dactyli of the posterior pereopods without distal setules. All pereonites wider than long. Propodus of cheliped not gaping, without distal tooth-like apophysis in gap between fingers.

Species included: P. anomala ( Sars, 1882) (type-species).

Remarks. Surprisingly, the present analysis has reduced the enigmatic genus Pseudoleptochelia from 15 species (WoRMS, 2012) to one! Features distinguishing this genus from Konarus and Parakonarus are discussed after the species description.