Diagnosis: (modified after Lang 1971; Bird & Holdich 1989) Cuticle heavily calcified and pitted. Antennule with four articles. Antenna with four to six articles. Pleon narrower or as wide as pereon. Mandibles with acuminate or reduced pars molaris. Left mandible with spiniform lacina mobliis. Maxillule with eight to eleven terminal spines. Labium with or without small lateral spines. Maxilliped basis and endites together, oval or heartÂshaped. Epignath without terminal spine. Pereopods 1–3 usually with one strong ventral seta on propodus. Pereopods 4 to 6 usually with two to four strong terminal setae on propodus. Uropod endopod and basal article not fused.
Type species: Paragathotanais typicus Lang, 1971, by original designation.