''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 ...

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 Spadellidae is a family of sagittoideans in the order Phragmophora. Spadellidae prey on plankton and commonly reside in the epipelagic zone of the ocean. Genera *'' Bathyspadella'' Tokioka, 1939Tokioka, T. (1939). Three new chaetognaths from J ...

. ''Paraspadella'' was originally considered as ''

Spadella Lead ''Spadella'' is a genus of small, transparent marine invertebrates belonging to the family Spadellidae within the phylum Chaetognatha, commonly known as arrow worms. Unlike most chaetognaths, which are pelagic (free-swimming in open water) ...

'' 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 ''Paraspadella'' is a genus of chaetognaths in the family Spadellidae. ''Paraspadella'' was originally considered as ''Spadella'' before a revision separated that genus into three genera: ''Spadella'', ''Paraspadella'', and ''Gephyrospadella'', t ...

'' Bowman & Bieri, 1989Bowman, 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 ''Paraspadella'' is a genus of chaetognaths in the family Spadellidae. ''Paraspadella'' was originally considered as ''Spadella'' before a revision separated that genus into three genera: ''Spadella'', ''Paraspadella'', and ''Gephyrospadella'', t ...

'' (von Salvini-Plawen, 1986) *''

Paraspadella gotoi ''Paraspadella'' is a genus of chaetognaths in the family Spadellidae. ''Paraspadella'' was originally considered as ''Spadella'' before a revision separated that genus into three genera: ''Spadella'', ''Paraspadella'', and ''Gephyrospadella'', t ...

'' Casanova, 1990 *''

Paraspadella johnstoni ''Paraspadella'' is a genus of chaetognaths in the family Spadellidae. ''Paraspadella'' was originally considered as ''Spadella'' before a revision separated that genus into three genera: ''Spadella'', ''Paraspadella'', and ''Gephyrospadella'', t ...

'' (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 ''Paraspadella'' is a genus of chaetognaths in the family Spadellidae. ''Paraspadella'' was originally considered as ''Spadella'' before a revision separated that genus into three genera: ''Spadella'', ''Paraspadella'', and ''Gephyrospadella'', t ...

'' (Alvariño, 1981) *''

Paraspadella nana ''Paraspadella'' is a genus of chaetognaths in the family Spadellidae. ''Paraspadella'' was originally considered as ''Spadella'' before a revision separated that genus into three genera: ''Spadella'', ''Paraspadella'', and ''Gephyrospadella'', t ...

'' (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 ''Paraspadella'' is a genus of Chaetognatha, chaetognaths in the Family (biology), family Spadellidae. ''Paraspadella'' was originally considered as ''Spadella'' before a revision separated that genus into three genera: ''Spadella'', ''Paraspadel ...

'' (Mawson, 1944)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2054325 Chaetognatha