A new species of Metacyclops from a hyporheic habitat in North Vietnam (Crustacea,Copepoda, Cyclopidae)

A new species of Metacyclops is described from hyporheic waters and small rock depression with leaf litter in North Vietnam, the Tam Đao Mountains). Metacyclops amicitiae sp. n. can be distinguished from its congeners by the unique combination of the following characters: 12-segmented antennule, distal segment of P4 endopodite bearing a single apical spine, and the surface ornamentation of the intercoxal sclerites in P1–P4 (pilose on the distal margin of P1-P4 and spinulose on the caudal surface of P4). The latter character separates the new Metacyclops from its closest relative, Metacyclops ryukyuensis, known only from the Ryukyu Islands (Ishigaki). The genus Metacyclops with the new species described herein is also for the first time recorded from Vietnam. An identification key is provided to the south and east Asian species of the genus.     

Two new species of benthopelagic Stephos (Copepoda,Calanoida, Stephidae) from Korea

Two new species of benthopelagic copepods of the genus Stephos T. Scott, 1892, belonging to the family Stephidae G.O. Sars, 1902, are described based on specimens collected in the stagnant water flooding the burrows excavated by ocypodid crabs in two intertidal mud-flats, and from near-bottom shallow waters in Korea, respectively. They can be easily diagnosed based on the ornamentation of both the female genital double-somite and genital operculum; the morphology of the distal segment of the male right P5; the presence/absence of a tiny pointed process on the distomedial angle of second segment of female P5; and the condition (seta or spine) of the lateral armature element on the distal segment of female fifth legs, among other features. This is one of the few cases reported of calanoid copepods living as commensals of other invertebrates, and raises to six the number of members of the genus reported from Asia. This is also the first record of the family Stephidae in Korea.     

A new genus and species of cyclopoid (Crustacea,Copepoda, Cyclopinidae) from a coastal system in the Gulf of Mexico

A new, monotypic genus of the interstitial marine cyclopoid copepod family Cyclopinidae G.O. Sars, 1913 is described from male and female specimens collected at Laguna de Términos, a large coastal lagoon system in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Mexiclopina campechana gen. et sp. n. cannot be adequately placed in any extant genus within the family. It differs from other cyclopinid genera in having a unique combination of characters including: 1) absence of modified brush-like seta on the mandibular exopod; 2) maxillule exopod with stout setal elements and brush-like setae absent; 3) basis of mandible with one seta; 4) presence of a modified seta on endopod of fourth leg; 5) fifth leg exopod unsegmented, armed with three elements in the female and five in the male; 6) intercoxal sclerite of first swimming leg with two medial spiniform processes on distal margin. The new genus is monotypic and appears to be most closely related to Cyclopina Claus, 1863 and Heptnerina Ivanenko & Defaye, 2004; the new species was compared with species of Cyclopina and it resembles Cyclopina americana Herbst, 1982 and Cyclopina caissara Lotufo, 1994. This is the second record of a species of Cyclopinidae in Mexico and the first in the Gulf of Mexico; the number of cyclopinid species recorded from the Americas is now 13.     

A new species of Peltidium Philippi, 1839 (Crustacea,Copepoda, Harpacticoida) from the Pacific coast of Mexico

During the analysis of phytal meiobenthic samples collected from a rocky-sandy beach in the state of Nayarit, in the Mexican Pacific, several specimens of harpacticoid copepods were obtained and taxonomically examined. These specimens were found to represent an undescribed species of the peltidiid genus Peltidium Philippi, 1839. The new species, Peltidium nayarit sp. n. is described herein. It resembles Peltidium nichollsi Geddes and Peltidium lerneri Geddes from Bahamas but also the widespread Peltidium speciosum Thompson & Scott and Peltidium purpureum Philippi. The new species from the Mexican Pacific differs from its known congeners by its possession of a unique combination of characters, including a modified pectinate seta on the antennary exopod, three terminal setae on the second endopodal segment of leg 1, third exopodal segment of leg 1 with three elements, inner terminal claw twice as long as outer claw, female fifth leg with 5 exopodal setae, exopodal setae I-III stout, spinulose and seta IV being as long as seta V. This is the second species of the family known to be distributed in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and in Mexico. Pending additional data, the distribution of this species appears to be restricted to this area of the Mexican Pacific.     

Phylogeny,genetic diversity and phylogeography of the genus Codoma (Teleostei,Cyprinidae)

This study represents a thorough analysis of Codoma, a monotypic genus endemic to north‐western Mexico. A previous morphological analysis of the species concluded that there exists several morphological groups in Codoma ornata, suggesting diversity in Codoma could be underestimated. No studies have examined the genetic diversity in Codoma ornata to test this hypothesis and identify independent lineages. We present a phylogeographic analysis using one mitochondrial and two nuclear genes, and specimens from across nine major drainages in both the Chihuahuan Desert and the Sierra Madre Occidental of western Mexico. All genes and analyses recovered populations of Codoma in a well‐supported clade and sister to Tampichthys, and this clade sister to Cyprinella. Analyses of both mitochondrial and nuclear genes indicated Codoma is not monotypic and recover more diversity in the genus than currently recognized. The four (mitochondrial) and five (nuclear) genetically distinct lineages are consistent with those groups outlined in the prior morphological study of the genus. Composition and distribution of these major lineages is also consistent with prior biogeographic hypothesis for other fishes in the region, supporting an ancestral Rio Grande system extending south towards central Mexico. Fragmentation of this paleosystem was followed by allopatric speciation in the Chihuahuan Desert. These results suggest a scenario of long‐term isolation in four major regions (upper Conchos, lower Conchos, Nazas, upper Mezquital). Resolution of the diversity and biogeography of these lineages has many implications for various biological disciplines, especially for evolutionary and conservation studies.     

A new marine cyclopoid copepod of the genus Neocyclops (Cyclopidae,Halicyclopinae) from Korea

A new cyclopoid species of the genus Neocyclops Gurney, 1927 is described. Type specimens were collected from a beach on south-western coast of the Korean Peninsula by rinsing intertidal coarse sandy sediments. Neocyclops hoonsooi sp. n. is most characteristic in showing the conspicuous chitinized transverse ridges originating from the medial margins of the coxae of all swimming legs. The new species is most similar to Neocyclops vicinus, described from the Brazilian coast, and Neocyclops petkovskii, from Australia. All three species share a large body size (more than 750 µm long), the presence of an exopodal seta on the antenna, two setae on the mandibular palp, the same seta/spine armature on the third endopodal segment of leg 3 (3 setae + 3 spines), and the fairly long inner distal spine on the third endopodal segment of the female leg 4. However, Neocyclops hoonsooi sp. n. differs from both species by the much shorter caudal rami (less than 1.7 times as long as wide) and the shorter dorsal caudal seta VII. Furthermore, Neocyclops hoonsooi is clearly distinguished from Neocyclops vicinus by the 10-segmented antennule (vs 12 segments in Neocyclops vicinus), and from Neocyclops petkovskii by the elongate inner distal spine on leg 5 exopod and the 3-segmented leg 5 in male (vs 4-segmented in Neocyclops petkovskii). A tabular comparison of characters separating Neocyclops hoonsooi from its closest allies and a key to Neocyclops species from the Indo-Pacific Ocean are provided. This is the first record of the genus Neocyclops from the northern Pacific.     

Diversity, spatial arrangement, and endemism of Cactaceae in the Huizache area, a hot-spot in the Chihuahuan Desert

We studied several aspects of the cactus diversity in the Huizache, an area located in the southern extreme of the Chihuahuan Desert Region, in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Fieldwork was conducted in a square-shaped polygon (22°30–23°00 N, 100°00–100°30 W), where a total of 80 systematically-chosen localities were sampled for cactus species. Results showed that the Huizache is an important focal point for the conservation of the Cactaceae, due to the remarkably high diversity of members of this plant family in the area. With 75 species recorded, this area has the highest concentration of cactus species in the American Continent, in comparison with other comparably-sized regions. The outstanding diversity of cactus species in the Huizache area may be explained by the relatively favorable climate of this desert area, its environmental heterogeneity, and its location in a transitional position between three regions with distinct cactus floras: Chihuahuan Desert Region, Queretaroan-Hidalgoan Arid Zone, and Tula-Jaumave Valleys. Species richness is not distributed evenly in the area; the zones of highest species concentration are primarily located in the lowland valleys, in the northwestern portion of the grid square, where typical Chihuahuan Desert conditions prevail. Of the 75 cactus species found in the area, 63% are endemic to the Chihuahuan Desert. Among these, ten species are outstanding for being endemic or nearly endemic to the Huizache area. The Huizache grid square is part of a recently declared natural reserve, The Real de Guadalcázar Natural Reserve.     

A new species of Leptodiaptomus (Copepoda, Diaptomidae) from Northwestern Mexico with comments on the distribution of the genus

A new species of the freshwater planktonic copepod genus Leptodiaptomus is described for a small pond in Northwestern Mexico. Leptodiaptomus dodsoni n. sp. can be easily distinguished mainly by the presence of an unusually large sinusoid spine on male antennular segment 13, and by the features of the fifth legs of both sexes. This genus is known to be distributed mainly in North America with 19 recognized species. Of these, six ocur in Mexico, and the new species seems to be closely related to most of them. It is probable that this group of species (including the new one) represents the southwards radiation of the genus from North America. Compared to the Caribbean and South American, the North American influence seems to be the most relevant for diaptomid copepods in Mexico. At least two Mexican species of Leptodiaptomus, including L.dodsoni, are restricted in distributional range to high-altitude temporal ponds, and both could be considered endemics.      

A new genus (Copepoda,Harpacticoida, Laophontidae) from Jeju Island of Korea

A survey on the harpacticoid copepods from an intertidal zone in Hyeopjae sandy beach, Jeju Island, Korea, resulted in the discovery of an unusual laophontid, Jejulaophonte hyeopjaeensis sp. n., which cannot be placed in any extant genus within the family. To accommodate the species, a new genus of the family Laophontidae T. Scott, 1905 is proposed and fully described here. The new species is closely related to the lineage of the five primitive genera, Carraroenia McCormack, 2006, Coullia Hamond, 1973, Hemilaophonte Jakubisiak 1933, Psammoplatypus Lee & Huys, 1999, and Robustunguis Fiers, 1992 (the CCHPR-lineage) by the reduced P2 endopod, ovate shape of the female P5 exopod and sexual dimorphism in the P3 endopod. However, it displays discrepancies from the species of the CCHPR-lineage in the presence of an inner seta on P3 and P4 exp-2, four setae on P4 enp-2, and an inner seta on P3 and P4 enp-2 in the female. Furthermore, no other species within the family Laophontidae has three setae on P2 exp-3 and a seta on P2 enp-2 at the same time. The new species has sexual dimorphism in the antennule, genital segmentation and the legs from P2 to P5. The terminal seta on the second endopodal segment of P2 in the male is longer than that in the female. The endopod of P3 is 3-segmented and displays a short inner apophysis on the second segment in the male. The outer setae on the exopod of P3 and P4 are distinctly thicker and stronger in the male than in the female. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) sequencing of the new species has been realized in order to be used in future phylogenetic analysis.     

Two new species of ochridacyclops (Kiefer, 1937) (Copepoda, Cyclopoida) from Kenya and Nepal

Two species of cyclopoid copepods, Ochridacyclops kenyaensis sp. nov. and O. nepalensis sp. nov. are described as the first records of this genus from Kenya and Nepal, respectively. Ochridacyclops kenyaensis can easily be distinguished from its congeners by having a rounded and blunt distal end of the outer terminal seta (IV) on the caudal rami, and by the inner terminal spine being about equal in length to the outer terminal spine on the endopod of leg 4. Ochridacyclops nepalensis can easily be distinguished from other members of the genus by having two spines on exopodal segment 3 of leg 1, and by the proportions of the caudal rami, which are 3.4 times longer than wide.     

A new genus of Cletopsyllidae (Copepoda,Harpacticoida) from Gulf of Mexico

A new genus and new species of the family Cletopsyllidae Huys & Willems, 1989 from deep-sea sediment in the Gulf of Mexico, are reported and fully described and illustrated. The new genus Pentacletopsyllus (type species: P. montagni sp. n.) can be distinguished from the four known genera of the family by antennule segmentation, length ratio of first and second endopodal segments of P1, and armature pattern on P5 exopod. It also differs from its sister genera by the rostrum being bifid at the tip, third segment of the female antennule having a smooth posterior margin, the baseoendopod of P5 with biarticulate outer setophore bearing basal seta, and female caudal rami without lobate expansion. A revised key to species of the family Cletopsyllidae Huys & Willems, 1989 is provided.     

Petrogenia as a synonym of Bonamia (Convolvulaceae), with comments on allied species

A species formerly thought to be in a monotypic genus,Petrogenia repens I. M. Johnston, is found to be congeneric withBonamia. The new combinationBonamia repens (I. M. Johnston) Austin & Staples is made. This species, with two others, we interpret as being an endemic triad in the Chihuahuan Desert Region. Possible relationships, ecology, palynology, cotyledon structure, and morphology are discussed.     

Redescription of Bradya typica Boeck, 1873 (Copepoda: Harpacticoida: Ectinosomatidae) with the first description of the male

Bradya typica Boeck, 1873 is described from samples collected in the course of a colonisation experiment in Kongsfjorden, Spitsbergen (2003–2005). The male of B. typica, the type-species of the genus is described for the first time. B. typica can be distinguished from its congeners by its caudal rami (1.4 times longer than wide) and by its P5 (exopod longer than wide, inner terminal seta of exopod longest, inner seta of baseoendopod longer than outer one and surface seta rigid and curved). Variability within the species is rather small as only the length of some setae is slightly different. B. cladiofera Lang, 1965, B. congenera Sars, 1920, B. minutiseta Soyer, 1973 and B. pugiochaeta Arlt, 1983 are closely related to B. typica. Some details of the morphology, such as the body ornamentation and the longer hair-like pinnules on the spines of the swimming legs, are very difficult to observe even with maximum magnification. With certainty, B. typica is distributed near the Norwegian coast (Oslo Fjord to Trondheim Fjord), the Swedish coast (Skagerak to Öresund), around Spitsbergen and around the polar islands north of Grinnelland (Canadian Arctic Archipelago near Baffin Bay). Records of B. typica from the Kara Sea (near Novaya Zemlya), near Franz Joseph Land, Iceland, Greenland, the British Isles and from deep waters of the North Sea have to be confirmed.     

Glaciella,a new genus of freshwater Canthocamptidae (Copepoda,Harpacticoida) from a glacier in Nepal,Himalayas

A new genus and new species of Canthocamptidae: Glaciella yalensis (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from the surface of Yale Glacier, Nepal is described. This new species was collected from cryconite-pit on the surface of the glacier and is closely related to genus Maraenobiotus, but easily distinguishable from its species in the following: 1) segments and setae on endopodites of legs 2–4 in the male differing shape, 2) exopodites of male legs 3–4 with modified setae, 3) caudal seta in female absent. Body color of this copepod is red in live specimens.Contributions No. 86 Itako Hydrobiological Station, Ibaraki University.     

A new species of Paratanais Dana, 1852 (Crustacea,Peracarida, Tanaidacea,Paratanaidae) from Puerto Rico,northwestern Atlantic

Paratanais rosadi sp. n. described from Puerto Rican coastal waters represents the first species of the genus from the northwestern Atlantic. It is distinguished from the other Paratanais species by a combination of characters, including article-2 of the maxilliped palp with a geniculate, finely-serrulate seta on inner margin; chela with stiff, geniculate, seta arising from propodus between fixed finger and dactylus and with short, stout, finely serrulate, seta on inner distal face of propodus adjacent to base of dactylus; carpus of pereopods 4−6 having three, instead of four stout modified spiniform setae distally, uropodal exopod distinctly shorter than endopodal article-1; and uropodal endopod with articles of about of equal in length. A key for the separation of Paratanais species from the Atlantic Ocean is presented.     

A review of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Townsendiella (Apidae,Nomadinae, Townsendiellini), with the description of a new species from Pinnacles National Park

The cleptoparasitic bee genus Townsendiella Crawford (Nomadinae, Townsendiellini) is a rare group restricted to the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico, whose taxonomy and biology remain poorly known. This paper describes Townsendiella ensifera sp. n., the first known record of this genus from Pinnacles National Park. A key to the species of the genus is provided. Several potential areas of future research are also discussed.     

Description of Eucyclops tziscao sp. n., E. angeli sp. n., and a new record of E. festivus Lindberg, 1955 (Cyclopoida,Cyclopidae, Eucyclopinae) in Chiapas,Mexico

Two new species of the freshwater cyclopoid genera Eucyclops are described, Eucyclops tziscao sp. n. and E. angeli sp. n. Both species belong to the serrulatus-group defined by morphological features such as: the presence of distal spinules or hair-like setae (groups N1 and N2) on frontal surface of antennal basis; the fourth leg coxa with a strong inner spine that bears dense setules on inner side, yet proximally naked (large gap) on outer side; and a 12-segmented antennule with smooth hyaline membrane on the three distalmost segments. Eucyclops tziscao sp. n. is morphologically similar to E. bondi and E. conrowae but differs from these species in having a unique combination of characters, including a caudal ramus 4.05±0.25 times as long as wide, lateral seta of Enp3P4 modified as a strong, sclerotized blunt seta, coxal spine of fourth leg with inner spinule-like setules distally, and sixth leg of males bearing a strong and long inner spine 2.3 times longer than median seta. Eucyclops angeli sp. n. can be distinguished by an unique combination of morphological features: the short caudal ramus; the long spine on the sixth antennular segment of A1; the presence of one additional group of spinules (N12’) on the caudal surface of A2; the presence of long setae in females, or short spinules in males on the lateral margin of fourth prosomite; the strong ornamentation of the intercoxal sclerite of P4, specially group I modified as long denticles; the distal modified setae of Exp3P3 and Exp3P4 in females and males; and the short lateral seta of P5. Finally, we report on a new record of E. festivus in México, and add data on morphology of the species.     

Doridicola indistinctus n. sp. (Copepoda: Poecilostomatoida: Rhynchomolgidae) associated with the soft coral Gersemia fruticosa Sars (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea: Nephtheidae) from the White Sea

A new species of poecilostomatoid copepod, Doridicola indistinctus n. sp. (Rhynchomolgidae), is described from specimens found in association with the soft coral Gersemia fruticosa Sars (Alcyonacea: Nephtheidae), collected from the White Sea. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following features in the female: (i) antenna tipped, with two subequal large claws which are about as long as the segment bearing them; (ii) two naked, extremely unequal setae on the middle segment of the maxilliped, the short, medial seta less than half-length of the outer seta; and (iii) free segment of leg 5 bears the basal swelling and is ornamented with spinules on the outer surface. This is the first report of a copepod occurring in symbiosis with nephtheid corals from the Arctic Zone. It also constitutes the northernmost record for a species of Doridicola Leydig, 1853, which is the largest genus of the Rhynchomolgidae Burmeister, 1835 comprising 52 species, including the present new species.