Paraplea
Esaki & China, 1928
pygmy backswimmers
Paraplea is a of pygmy backswimmers in the Pleidae, comprising 21 described . Members occur across Africa, Australia, southern Asia, southern North America, and the Caribbean. The genus is distinguished from other pleids by specific morphological characters including features of the abdominal keel. Australian species include both widespread (P. brunni, P. liturata) and (P. halei) forms, with P. bifurcata distinguished by a bifurcated abdominal keel.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Paraplea: //ˌpærəˈpliːə//
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Identification
Australian can be distinguished using morphological characters including the structure of the abdominal keel; P. bifurcata is uniquely identified by its bifurcated abdominal keel. The as a whole requires examination of genitalic and other structural characters for species-level identification.
Images
Distribution
Africa, Australia, southern Asia, southern North America, and the Caribbean. In Australia: P. brunni is widespread and also occurs in New Guinea; P. halei is to southeastern Australia; P. liturata occurs in the Northern Territory and Western Australia; P. bifurcata is known only from the Northern Territory.