Helmutkunzia Wells & Rao, 1976

Genus Helmutkunzia Wells & Rao, 1976

Type species. Actopsyllus hartmannorum Kunz, 1971 = Helmutkunzia hartmannorum ( Kunz, 1971) [by original designation].

Other species. Helmutkunzia variabilis Wells & Rao, 1987 ; H. xiamenensis sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Miraciidae . Diosaccinae . Body linear. Original segmentation of ♀ genital double-somite marked by dorsolateral chitinized internal ridges. Cephalothorax and pedigerous somites with plain hyaline frill, genital double-somite and abdominal somites 2–3 (in ♀) or abdominal somites 1–3 (in ♂) with finely semi-incised subulate frill. Anal operculum weakly developed. Caudal ramus slightly longer than wide; with seven setae; seta I minute; seta II long and setiform, proximal half inflated (especially in ♀); seta III long and setiform, setae IV– V well developed, with weakly developed fracture planes; seta VI short and setiform; seta VII arising from biarticulate socle .

Rostrum elongate, narrow and pointed. Antennule ♀ 8-segmented, slender, segment 2 longest, segments 5–7 small, last four segments combined about 2/5 of combined length of proximal four; with aesthetasc on segments 4 and 8. Antennule ♂ haplocer, 10-segmented, with geniculation between segments 7 and 8. Antenna with unarmed basis; proximal endopodal segment with abexopodal pinnate seta; exopod 3-segmented, exp-1 with pinnate seta, exp-2 very small and unarmed, exp-3 with naked lateral seta and 1–2 elements apically. Mandibular palp biramous; basis with three setae; bases of apical setae of endopod confluent, forming pseudosegment; exopod 2- or indistinctly 3-segmented, exp-1 (or when partially subdivided) with two lateral setae, exp-2 with three apical elements, two of which confluent at base. Maxillulary basis with 4–7 elements; endopod and exopod fused to basis, with 2–4 and two setae, respectively. Maxilla with three endites on syncoxa; endopod 1-segmented, with 4–7 setae. Maxilliped subchelate, syncoxa with 2–4 setae; basis with 1(?)–2 setae; endopod an elongate segment with minutely pinnate claw and 2–3 accessory setae.

P1 with 3-segmented rami. Exp-1 and -2 without inner seta, exp-3 with two outer spines and two geniculate apical setae. Endopod longer than exopod; enp-1 elongate, with inner subdistal seta; enp-2 with inner seta; enp-3 with one spine, one geniculate seta and one short naked or bipinnate seta. Basis ♂ modified; anterior surface with long, bent chitinous projection near outer margin; inner basal spine unipinnate.

P2–P4 with 3-segmented rami; endopod extending beyond (P2–P3) or to (P4) distal margin of exp-3. Apical spinous projections on P2–P4 enp-3 of moderate size. P2 endopod ♂ modified; enp-1 with or without inner seta; enp-2 elongate, drawn out into apical spinous projection, with 1–2 inner setae. P3 exp-3 with anterior tube-pore. Armature pattern as follows:

P 5 ♀ exopod typically with five setae; endopodal lobe apical margin with 2–3 setae, inner margin with two spiniform elements. P 5 ♂ exopod with 4–5 setae; endopodal lobes medially fused, well developed, with two spiniform elements.

Genital field ♀ with paired gonopores each closed off by vestigial P6 bearing three setae, innermost of which longest and naked. P 6 ♂ represented by asymmetrical opercula each bearing three naked setae, middle one longest.

Paired egg-sacs.