This research reports new species descriptions of Paralepidonotus in Guadeloupe Islands, indicating biodiversity in this region.
Paralepidonotus Horst, 1915 was proposed for species formerly included in Lepidonotus Leach, 1816 having 15 pairs of elytra and coarse notochaetae. Hanley (1991) revised the genus and recognized its distribution as restricted to the Indian and western Pacific. During a recent expedition to Guadeloupe Islands, numerous polychaetes were collected, including specimens of two different species of Paralepidonotus , which are herein described as Paralepidonotus hourdezi sp. nov., and Paralepidonotus sylvieae sp. nov. Paralepidonotus hourdezi sp. nov. is characterized by having nonpedunculate smooth vesicular macrotubercles, instead of being ornamented in other congeners. Paralepidonotus sylvieae sp. nov. resembles P. indicus (Kinberg, 1856) but differs in having smaller eyes and elytra with 5–6 (instead of 8–9) irregular rows of spiny macrotubercles (8–9 in P. indicus ). A key to all species in Paralepidonotus is also provided.
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Sergio I Salazar-Vallejo (2026) studied this question.
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