144 



present. Anterior antennae comparatively short, with the number of articulations 

 somewhat reduced; right antenna in male distinctly geniculate. Posterior antennae 

 with both rami well developed. Oral parts, especially the mandibles and maxillae, 

 of rather anomalous structure. Anterior maxillipeds much more strongly built 

 than the posterior. The 4 anterior pairs of legs resembling in structure those 

 in the Pontellidce. Last pair of legs not natatory in either of the sexes; in 

 female biramous, in male imiramous, right leg in the latter not cheliform. 



Remarks. This family is here taken in a much more restricted sense 

 than even the subfamily Parapontellince, which, according to Dr. Giesbrecht, com- 

 prises the 3 genera Parn^ontcUn, Acartia and Cort/inirn. In my opinion, these 

 3 genera are so widely different, that each of them ought to be regarded as the 

 type of a separate family. The present family accordingly, in the restriction here 

 adopted, comprises only the genus Parapontella of Brady, which, although in 

 some respects exhibiting a slight resemblance to the Po)il<'///<!<i\ in reality differs 

 very materially in several structural features, for instance in the want of the 

 strong bifurcate rostrum characteristic of that family, in the very different structure 

 of the posterior antennae and oral parts, and finally in the not chelate right last 

 leg of the male. The solitary species of the genus as yet known seems also to 

 differ pronouncedly in habits from the 



Gen. 28. Parapontella, Brady, 187S. 



Syn: Pontellina, Lubbock (not Dana). 



Generic Characters. Body comparatively robust, with the anterior division 

 considerably tumefied. Cephalosome well arched, front scarcely at all produced 

 below, tentacular appendages very delicate, recurved. Lateral parts of last seg- 

 ment of metasome in female rounded off, in male produced on right side. Uro- 

 some in female perfectly symmetrical, in male with some of the segments produced 

 on right side. Caudal rami sublinear in form, and of same appearance in the 

 2 sexes; all the setae well developed. Anterior antennae composed in female of 

 20 articulations, last one very small and imperfectly defined ; right antenna in 

 male with the joints of the middle section somewhat irregular, terminal section 

 composed of only 2 joints. Posterior antennae with the inner ramus imperfectly 

 denned from the basal part, outer ramus longer than the inner. Mandibles 

 rather strong, with the outer cutting teeth unguiform, palp of somewhat unusual 



