Euchoneira Licciano, Giangrande & Gambi, 2009, gen. nov.

Euchoneira gen. nov.

Material examined. 187 specimens (86Ƥ, 973) all collected in St. DR1 (77 m depth) off Livingston Island (6th January 2006).

Diagnosis. Large species with eight thoracic chaetigers, and large number of abdominal ones. Radiolar skeleton with two rows of cells; palmate membrane and flanges present. Radiolar eyes absent. Branchial lobe fused mid dorsally. Dorsal pinnular appendages present. Dorsal lips without dorsal radiolar appendages. Ventral radiolar appendages present. Peristomial collar separated mid-dorsally by distinct gap, dorsal margins entire. Thoracic notopodial uncini acicular, main fang surmounted by several rows of small teeth, breast as narrow swelling, handles elongate. Companion chaetae absent. Thoracic notopodial fascicles in chaetigers 1 as row of narrowly hooded chaetae; notopodial fascicles in chaetigers 2–8 with superior group of narrowly hooded chaetae and two inferior rows of broadly hooded chaetae and bayonet type. Abdominal neuropodial fascicles with 1–2 transverse rows of narrowly hooded chaetae. Abdominal notopodia with avicular uncini with well developed handle. Chaetiger 2 with glandular ridge present. Anal depression present well developed and with lateral wings.

Remarks. The new genus resembles Euchone in having a high developed anal depression formed by several chaetigers and with lateral wings, but it distinguishes from this genus in the absence of dorsal radiolar appendages, and in having a different shape of abdominal uncini. This last character is also found in the genus Jasmineira, to which the new genus is closely related also for the presence of many ventral radiolar appendages long one half of the radiole length.

Etymology: The genus name is a combination of the generic names Euchone and Jasmineira indicating the combination of character states between these genera and Euchoneira.