Sensu Schmid, 1993
Body
Small larvae (appr. 4 mm). The anterior and posterior parapods are separate and bear rows of claws. Procercus is as high as wide and two pairs of anal tubules present (Wiederholm, 1983; Moller Pillot, 1984b).
Head
The head length is 0.211-0.223 mm ( Schmid, 1993). The eye consists of 2 fused, but discernable eyes.
Antenna
The antenna consists of five segments. The blade is shorter than the flagellum. Lauterborn organs are weak or absent.
Mentum
The mentum has one median tooth and 6 pairs of lateral teeth. The first pair of lateral teeth is very small and fused with the median tooth. When the mentum is worn the first lateral teeth may disappear. All teeth are brown. The ventromental plates are distinct but do not cover lateral teeth. The beard is absent.
Labrum
The pecten epipharyngis consists of three subequal scales, SI is palmate. (Wiederholm, 1983; Moller Pillot, 1984b).
Mandible
The mandible has a pale apical tooth and 3 brown inner teeth. The seta interna has simpel branches (Wiederholm, 1983).
Differential characteristics
The branched SI and the mentum with 6 pairs of lateral teeth, without beard separates Parakiefferiella from all other Orthocladiinae.
P. cf. coronata can be separated from other Parakiefferiella by the evenly coloured mental teeth and the reduced first lateral teeth.