SENTIROPSIS, PELTISENIA AND AFROSENIA - 3 NEW GENERA OF PARANANNOPIDAE (COPEPODA, HARPACTICOIDA)

Re-examination of Idomene aberrans For, previously referred to the Pse udotachidiinae (Thalestridae), has provided unequivocal morphological evidence for its removal to a new genus Peltisenia placed in the Paran annopidae. The revelation of claviform aesthetascs on the mandible, ma xillule and maxilla supports close affinity to a specialized lineage i ncluding Paradanielssenia Soyer, Micropsammis Mielke, Leptotachidia Be cker and Telopsammis Gee & Huys. On the basis of the biramous mandibul ar palp and differences in the male morphology of the P2 endopod it is suggested that Peltisenia gen. nov. represents the sistergroup of thi s lineage. Danielssenia minuta Coull from Bermuda and D. spinipes Well s from Mozambique are both redescribed from the type material and plac ed in monotypic genera Sentiropsis gen. nov. and Afrosenia gen. nov., respectively. The former occupies an intermediate position between Jon esiella Brady and the genera equipped with claviform aesthetascs on th e mouthparts. The relationships of Afrosenia gen. nov. are less clear but new data on the mouthparts and swimming leg sexual dimorphism indi cate a position near the base of the lineage leading to the oral aesth etasc bearing genera.