Pennella platycephalus Gnanamuthu 1957

Pennella platycephalus Gnanamuthu, 1957

(Fig. 15)

Synonyms. None.

Type host and locality. Cypselurus sp., Indian Ocean.

Morphology. Size: 37 mm. Papillae: partial coverage, a few spherical only, configured in a single small group. Holdfasts: two only, short. First and second antenna (not described or figured- no information). Plumes: simple, all but one single or double; one set shown with four plumules (original figures).

Remarks. Species inquirendae. Original description from a single specimen found on a flyingfish (Cypselurus). Species inquirendae according to Hogans (1988a), based on missing type material and brief description/ figures. Pennella platycephalus is one of several new species of small Pennella described from flyingfish in the Indian Ocean by Gnanamuthu (1957) in a single paper. Pennella platycephalus exhibits a cephalothorax shape (Figure 15 b) unique amongst Pennella species; the cephalothoracic papillae are few in number and spherical, a feature not found in any other species parasitizing flyingfish. The original specimen was described from a gravid female with eggs strings. There have been no reports of this species since the initial record.