MEIDIAMIDAE, NEW FAMILY

Diagnosis: Lithophoran Proseriata with an encapsulated brain, a precerebral gut diverticle, intraepidermal nuclei, and with the epidermis completely ciliated. Ovaries in front of the vitellaria, anterior of and close to the pharynx; a long female duct, the oviducts joining before the male copulatory organ, and with the female pore behind it (digonoporid condition). With a genito-intestinal connection close to the female pore, leading to a resorbing bursa incorporated in the gut. Testes: in front of the ovaries. Copulatory organ directed forwards, with a stylet and atrial needles, only needles, or only a stylet. One or a pair of seminal vesicles behind the copulatory organ. Accessory glandular organ, associated with the male atrium, present or not. Pharynx globular and directed ventrally.

Type genus: Meidiama Marcus, 1946 .