PARAMESOCHRIDAE Lang, 1944


The members of the meiobenthic family Paramesochridae are typically small, cylindrical, interstitial copepods , that inhabit sandy-beach ground water, intertidal and shallow-water sandy sediments (G. Veit-Kohler, 2004).

Huys (1987) created two subfamilies: Paramesochrinae, including the genera Remanea Klie, 1929; Paramesochra T. Scott, 1892; Biuncus Huys, 1996; Scottopsyllus Kunz, 1962; Kliopsyllus Kunz, 1962; Meiopsyllus Cottarelli & Forniz, 1994; Apodopsyllus Kunz, 1962; Leptopsyllus T. Scott, 1894; Caligopsyllus Kunz, 1975; Kunzia Wells, 1967 and Diarthrodellinae, including Tisbisoma Bozic, 1964 (formerly included in the family Tisbidae); Diarthrodella Klie, 1949 and Rossopsyllus Soyer, 1975. Later on (1995) the same author described the genus Singularia from Israel.

A review and key to genera in : Kunz. H. 1981. Beitrag zur Systematik der Paramesochridae (Copepoda, Harpacticoida) mit Beschreibung einiger neuer Arten.Mitt. Zool. Mus. Universitat Kiel, 1 (8). 1-40.


PARAMESOCHRINAE Huys, 1987


PARAMESOCHRA T. Scott, 1892

  • Paramesochra acutata acutata Klie, 1934 [Germany; marine interstitial]
  • Paramesochra acutata hawaiiensis Kunz, 1981 [Hawai, marine interstitial]
  • Paramesochra australis Mielke, 1994
  • Paramesochra borealis Geddes, 1981 [Norway; marine interstitial]
  • Paramesochra brevifurca brevifurca Galhano, 1970 [Portugal; marine interstitial]
  • Paramesochra brevifurca mediterranea Huys, 1987 [Italy, Sardinia; marine sand]
  • Paramesochra denticulata Rao & Ganapati, 1969 [India; marine interstitial]
  • Paramesochra dubia T. Scott, 1892 [north Europe; marine interstitial]
  • Paramesochra helgolandica helgolandica Kunz, 1937 [Europe, USA; marine sand]
  • Paramesochra helgolandica galapagoensis Mielke, 1984 [Galapagos, marine sand]
  • Paramesochra kunzi Mielke, 1984 [Panama; marine sand]
  • Paramesochra longicaudata Nicholls, 1945 [Africa, West Australia; marine interstitial]
  • Paramesochra mielkei Huys, 1987 [North Sea; marine sand] [PDF]
  • Paramesochra ornata Krishnaswamy, 1957 [India; brackish interstitial]
  • Paramesochra psammobionta Noodt, 1964 [Red Sea; coastal interstitial]
  • Paramesochra psammophila Noodt, 1964 [Red Sea; coastal interstitial]
  • Paramesochra pterocaudata Kunz, 1936 [Sweden, marine sand]
  • Paramesochra similis Kunz, 1936 [Bulgaria, Helgoland, Man Island; marine interstitial]
  • Paramesochra unaspina Mielke, 1984 [Galapagos; marine interstitial]


    Questionable species:

  • Paramesochra pygmaea Nicholls, 1939 [UK; marine interstitial] [PDF]
  • Paramesochra major Nicholls, 1939 [UK; marine interstitial] [PDF]
  • Paramesochra minuta Nicholls, 1939 [UK; marine interstitial] [PDF]
  • Paramesochra laurentica Nicholls, 1939 [UK; marine interstitial] [PDF]


    WORL KEY TO SPECIES OF PARAMESOCHRA IN: Huys R. 1987. Paramesochra T. Scott, 1982 (Copepoda, Harpacticoida): a revised key, including a new species from the SW Dutch coast and some remarks on the phylogeny of the Paramesochridae. Hydrobiologia, 144: 193-210. [PDF]


    MEIOPSYLLUS Cottarelli & Forniz, 1994

  • Meiopsyllus marinae Cottarelli & Forniz, 1994 [Italy, Sardinan islands, meiobenthos]


    BIUNCUS Huys, 1996

  • Biuncus ingens Huys, 1996 [Israel; parasite]


    CALIGOPSYLLUS Kunz, 1975

  • Caligopsyllus primus Kunz, 1975 [Africa; tidal pools]


    KUNZIA Wells, 1967

  • Kunzia bispinosa Kunz, 1974 [Africa; coastal interstitial]
  • Kunzia epacra Wells, 1967 [Africa, Mozambique; coastal interstitial]
  • Kunzia minutissima Wells, 1967 [Africa, Mozambique; coastal interstitial]



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