''Paraspadella'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
chaetognaths
The Chaetognatha or chaetognaths (meaning ''bristle-jaws'') are a phylum of predatory marine worms that are a major component of plankton worldwide. Commonly known as arrow worms, they are mostly pelagic; however about 20% of the known species ...
in the
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Spadellidae. ''Paraspadella'' was originally considered as ''
Spadella'' before a revision separated that genus into three genera: ''Spadella'', ''Paraspadella'', and ''Gephyrospadella'',
[ the last of which is now synonymised to ''Paraspadella''.][ The initial division was based on previous knowledge of three groups of ''Spadella'', in a similar manner in which '']Sagitta
Sagitta is a dim but distinctive constellation in the northern sky. Its name is Latin for 'arrow', not to be confused with the significantly larger constellation Sagittarius 'the archer'. It was included among the 48 constellations listed by t ...
'' was divided into a family of genera. ''Paraspadella'' is differentiated from ''Spadella'' by the presence of disparate (digital) adhesive organs, present in the former to various degrees, but entirely absent in the latter.[
]
Species
*'' Paraspadella anops'' Bowman & Bieri, 1989[Bowman, T. & Bieri, R. (1989). ''Paraspadella anops'', new species, from Sagittarius Cave, Grand Bahama Island, the second troglobitic chaetognath. ''Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington'', 102(3), 586–589.]
*'' Paraspadella caecafea'' (von Salvini-Plawen, 1986)[
*'' Paraspadella gotoi'' Casanova, 1990
*'' Paraspadella johnstoni'' (Mawson, 1944)][Mawson, P. M. (1944). Some species of the chaetognath genus ''Spadella'' from New South Wales. ''Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia'', 68, 327–333.]
*'' Paraspadella legazpichessi'' (Alvariño, 1981)
*'' Paraspadella nana'' (Owre, 1963)[Owre, H. B. (1963). The genus ''Spadella'' (Chaetognatha) in the western North Atlantic Ocean with descriptions of two new species. ''Bulletin of Marine Science'', 13, 378–390.]
*'' Paraspadella pimukatharos'' (Alvariño, 1987)
*'' Paraspadella pulchella'' (Owre, 1963)[
*'' Paraspadella schizoptera'' (Conant, 1895)][Conant, F. S. (1895). Description of two new chaetognaths: ''Spadella schizoptera'' and ''Sagitta hispida''. ''Johns Hopkins University Circulars'', 14(119), 77–78.]
*'' Paraspadella sheardi'' (Mawson, 1944)[
]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2054325
Chaetognatha