Psammic Procyclopina (Copepoda, Cyclopoida) from the coast of Brazil

Procyclopina polyarthra Herbst is redescribed and three new species, P. maricopeba, P. feiticeira and P. uguaipuku , are described from intertidal interstitial waters. Procyclopina is distinguished within the family by the enditic setation of the maxilliped 0,1,3,4, the 19-segmented antennule, and three elements in the leg 5 exopod of the female. Procyclopina has its distribution restricted to the coast of Säo Paulo, Brazil. Procyclopina maricopeba sp. n. is distinguished from P. polyarthra by the three-segmented leg 5 in the male and by the length: width ratio of the genital double somite in the female. Procyclopina feiticeira sp. n. is unique in the genus by lacking the inner seta on legs 14 exp-I, and by the incomplete fusion of genital (seventh thoracic) and first abdominal somites in the female. Procyclopina uguaipuku sp. n. is characterized by the antennulary armature, by the caudal ramus (much longer than wide), and by the position of the proximal seta of the leg 4 enp-2 which is set on a protuberance on the posterior face. Morphological characters of Procyclopina are compared with those of other cyclopinids.     

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.     

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.     

A new species of Pseudomacrochiron Reddiah, 1969 (Crustacea: Copepoda: Macrochironidae) associated with scyphistomae of the moon jellyfish Aurelia sp. (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) off Japan

A new species of the Macrochironidae Humes & Boxshall, 1996 (Copepoda: Cyclopoida), Pseudomacrochiron aureliae n. sp., is described based on adult specimens extracted from the gastrovacular cavity of the scyphistomae of Aurelia sp. (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) collected in the Seto Inland Sea and Ise Bay off the coast of Japan. The new species differs from its congeners by having the following combination of characters: a caudal ramus with a length to width ratio of 3.1; an accessory flagellum on caudal setae II, III and VI; three apical setae on the maxillule; only setae I and II on the maxillary basis; two short spines on the female maxilliped claw (endopod); an armature of III, I, 4 on the terminal exopodal segment of leg 3; an armature of I, II, 2 on the terminal endopodal segment of leg 3; an armature of II, I, 4 on the terminal exopodal segment of leg 4; and a short free exopodal segment of leg 5 (length to width ratio of 1.4) armed with a long seta and short spine. P. aureliae n. sp. is the first member of the genus reported from off Japan and from the scyphistomae of its scyphozoan host.     

Choniomyzon inflatus n. sp. (Crustacea: Copepoda: Nicothoidae) associated with Ibacus novemdentatus (Crustacea: Decapoda: Scyllaridae) from Japanese waters

A new species of parasitic copepod, Choniomyzon inflatus n. sp., is described based on specimens collected from the external egg masses of the smooth fan lobster Ibacus novemdentatus Gibbes captured in the North Pacific Ocean off Ainan, Ehime Prefecture, western Japan. The new species differs from its congeners in having a globular to ovoid prosome, in bearing asymmetrically arranged denticles at a rounded apex of both the terminal segment of the antenna and the maxilliped, and in lacking serrate lobes on the basis of legs 1 and 2. The species is similar in size and shape to the host’s eggs, which may be interpreted as egg mimicry. The new species is the first member of Choniomyzon Pillai, 1962 from subtropical regions.     

Antarcturus bovinus n. sp., a new Weddell-Sea Isopod of the family arcturidae (Isopoda: Valvifera)

Summary Antarcturus bovinus n. sp. (Isopoda, Valvifera) is described from the Antarctic Peninsula and the western and southern Weddell-Sea. This species can easily be recognized by the absence of large spines, the spine armature of the dorsal surface characteristic of other species is lacking. Only A. antarcticus Bouvier, 1910, A. coppingeri Miers, 1881, A. granulosus Nordenstam, 1933 and A. lillei Tattersall, 1921 are similar, but A. bovinus n. sp. can be discerned from these by the presence of blunt supraocular spines.Abbreviations used in text and figures A 1,2 antenna 1,2 - Hy hypopharynx - Md mandible - Md left mandible - Mx 1,2 maxilla 1,2 - Mxp maxilliped - P 1-7 pereopods 1-7 - Plp 1-5 pleopods 1-5 - rMd right mandible - Urp uropod     

Mesaiokeras hurei n. sp. (Copepoda, Calanoida, Mesaiokeratidae) from the Adriatic Sea

A new species of Mesaiokeras is described from the hyperbenthosof Veliko Jezero, a marine lake on the island of Mljet, Croatia.This is the first species of this genus and family (Mesaiokeratidae)reported from the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas. It is characterizedby small body length (an average 361 µm for females and337 µm for males), the low number of free segments (21)and the armature of the antennules, very long spine (a₂) ofexopodite I of female right leg 4, the presence of long processeson the ventroposterior area of the female genital double-somite,the form and surface ornamentation of the genital area, theform and ornamentation of male and female leg 5, and the formand armature of caudal rami. This species was found in shallowwater with very stable hydrographic conditions and at a populationdensity from 1 to 26 ind. m^-3.     

A new species of the ghost shrimp genus Neocallichirus Sakai, 1988 (Decapoda: Axiidea: Callianassidae) from the southwestern Atlantic

ABSTRACT

A new species of ghost shrimp, Neocallichirus pinheiroi, is described based on specimens collected in subtidal habitats of Saquaira beach, northeastern coast of Brazil. This new species resembles N. lemaitrei Manning, 1993, but differs from it primarily in having a third maxilliped propodus expanded ventrally, and in the case of males, a large subtriangular tooth on the cutting edge of the major cheliped dactylus. Diagnostic features of the new species include: (i) frontal margin of carapace with rounded lateral projections not exceeding rostrum distal margin, (ii) third maxilliped carpus with row of sclerotized setae on median internal surface, (iii) minor cheliped with cutting edge of dactylus microscopically pectinate, (iv) endopod of male second pleopod with appendices interna and masculina. This is the seventh described species of the genus Neocallichirus from the western Atlantic and the fourth report of this genus in Brazil. A key for identification of western Atlantic species belonging to the genus is provided.     

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.     

Ameiridae Boeck and Argestidae Por revisited, with establishment of Parameiropsidae, a new family of Harpacticoida (Crustacea, Copepoda) from deep-sea sediments

Four new species of Parameiropsis are described from Angola and Guinea Basins and the Arctic Laptev Sea. The male of Parameiropsis poseidonicus sp. n. differs from that of P. neptuni sp. n. and P. senckenbergi sp. n. in antennule segmentation, length of the proximal aesthetasc, length of the outermost seta of the antennary endopod, degree of reduction of the mouthparts, relative length of the inner spine of the basis of thoracopod 1, shape of the furca and body length. The female of P. amphitriteae sp. n. differs from previously described females of other species in the smaller exopod and endpod of thoracopod 1, reduced armature of thoracopods 1–6, length of the outer setae of exopods and endopods of thoracopods 2–4, and mandible exopod weakly developed and fused to the basis. Parameiropsis is redefined by the following autapomorphies: presence of aesthetasc on 3rd segment of female antennule; antenna strong, with endopod curved upwardly, and shape of the outermost (strongly ornamented) spine; triangular labrum; elongated corpus mandibularis, gnathobasis very long; basis of mandibular palp unarmed; elongated maxillule, with long and flexible setae on praecoxal arthrite; basis of the maxilla with strongly modified claw. To discuss the phylogenetic position of Parameiropsis, we revaluated the subfamilies of Ameiridae (viz. Ameirinae and Stenocopiinae) and the family Argestidae. Anoplosomella and Malacopsyllus revealed to be not closely related to Ameiridae and are transferred to Argestidae, sharing with other members of this family the morphology of the mandible gnathobasis, armature of maxilla and armature and length of the first segment of the antennule. Argestoides prehensilis does not show any of the characters that we consider autapomorphic for Argestidae. Instead, it shows many characters in common with several Ameiridae species. Parameiropsis does not have any character that could justify its inclusion within Ameiridae or even within Podogennonta. It also cannot be included satisfactorily within Argestidae nor Exanechentera. Therefore, we here propose a new family for Parameiropsis, with unclear relationships within Harpacticoida. After these taxonomic rearrangements, Ameiridae and Argestidae are considered monophyletic based on certain maxilla characters that we consider autapomorphic for each group. A key to the identification of the known species of Parameiropsis is added at the end.     

Protognathia n. gen. bathypelagica (Schultz, 1977) rediscovered in the Weddell Sea: A missing link between the Gnathiidae and the Cirolanidae (Crustacea,Isopoda)

Summary A new genus (Protognathia) and family (Protognathiidae) are described for Cirolana bathypelagica Schultz, 1977. The morphology of this unique species proves that the Gnathiidae are closely related to the Cirolanidae. The characters of P. bathypelagica are intermediate between the carnivorous cirolanids and the highly specialized gnathiid fish parasites.Abbreviations used in text and figures A 1,2 antenna 1,2 - Md mandible - Mx1 maxilla 1 - Mxp maxilliped - P 1-6 pereopods 1-6 - Plp 1-5 pleopods 1-5 - Tel telson - Urp uropod     

Description of Muscotabanus gen. nov. and Muscotabanus rafaeli sp. nov. (Diptera: Tabanidae: Diachlorini) from Amazon Basin,Brazil

A new genus of Tabanidae mimetic of flies is described: Muscotabanus new genus, Muscotabanus rafaeli new species, based on 12 females collected in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. It is presented a discussion for separating the new genus from Diachlorini species which resemblance with sarcophagids flies. It is characterised by striped thorax, banded abdomen, long slender palpus subequal antenna length, labella predominantly membranous, except for a narrow sclerotised plate, basicosta bare, wing hyaline and stigma brown.     

A new species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae) from the freshwater fish (red piranha) Pygocentrus nattereri Kner (Characidae) in Amazonia, Brazil

A new nematode species, Philometra nattereri n. sp. (Philometridae), is described from female specimens found in the oculo-orbits and nasal cavity of the red piranha Pygocentrus nattereri Kner (Characiformes: Characidae) from five lakes in Central Amazonia, Brazil, collected in 2008 and 2009 (overall prevalence 12%, intensity 1?C3 nematodes per fish). Based on light and scanning electron microscopical examination, the new species differs from most other congeners parasitising freshwater fishes in that its oesophageal gland extends anteriorly far anterior to the level of the nerve-ring, in the presence of 14 small cephalic papillae arranged in two circles and in having two minute caudal projections. This is the first species of Philometra Costa, 1845 reported from fishes of the family Characidae and the second valid species of this genus parasitic in freshwater fishes of Brazil and South America.     

New Aegisthidae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from western Pacific cold seeps and hydrothermal vents

Hyperbenthic harpacticoid samples from Japanese hydrothermal vents in the Okinawa Trough and cold seep sites in Sagami Bay were examined and resulted in the discovery of four new species belonging to three new genera of Aegisthidae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida). Females of Nudivorax todai gen. et sp. nov. possess a large area of flexible integument between the cephalosome and the first pedigerous somite which is suggestive of a gorging feeding strategy. Main diagnostic characters separating the new genus from other Aegisthidae are provided by the unusually short caudal rami, the complete lack of intcgumcntal surface lamellae, and the presence in the male of a linear array of pores along the rostral margin which appears to be sensory in function. Scabrantenna yooi gen. et sp. nov. displays several similarities with Aegisthus aculeatus Giesbrecht, 1891 but is highly distinctive in its male morphology which includes extremely atrophied mouthparts and a unique prehensile antenna. Jamstecia terazakii gen. et sp. nov. is only known from a single female caught in the Okinawa Trough. Jamstecia gen. nov. is most closely related to Andromastax Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 1999 but can be distinguished on the basis of the elongate antennules, the antennary morphology, the absence of lateral spinous processes on the cephalosome and swimming legs 2–4, and differences in the mandibular palp and armature of the maxilliped. Andromastax cephaloceratus sp. nov. differs from the type species A. muricatus Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 1998 primarily in the presence of long spinous processes on the cephalosome and the absence of the inner seta on the female P5.     

Description ofPhyllodiaptomus christineae n.sp. from Thailand, and distinction of two subgenera withinPhyllodiaptomus Kiefer,1936 (Copepoda, Calanoida)

Phyllodiaptomus christineae n.sp. is described from Thailand. It stands out, in the male, by the shape and the armature of the second exopodite-segment of the right P5 and by the elongate apical process and ornamentation of the second exopodite-segment of the left P5; in the female, by the reduced lateral wings of the fifth pediger, and by the form of the genital somite. Together withP. blanci, P. tunguidus andP. longipes, the new species constitutes the blanci-group, here raised to the level of a subgenus (Phyllodiaptomus s.s.) with representatives in Central Asia, China, Borneo and Thailand. A second subgenus (Ctenodiaptomus subgen. nov.) is created to accommodate the four Asian species of the annae-group.     

A new species of Wellsopsyllus (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Paramesochridae) from the deep Southern Ocean and remarks on its biogeography

The new deep-sea copepod species of the family Paramesochridae (Copepoda, Harpacticoida) presented here was collected during the scientific ANtarctic benthic DEEP-sea biodiversity cruise II (ANDEEP II) to the Weddell Abyssal Plain and western Weddell Sea and the CROZet natural iron bloom and EXport experiment (CROZEX cruise) to the Crozet Isles in the Indian Ocean. The new species has been allocated to the subgenus Wellsopsyllus within the genus Wellsopsyllus Kunz, 1981, based on the 1-segmented endopods and 3-segmented exopods of swimming legs 2–4. Furthermore, the new species shows a 1-segmented exopod of the antenna. Wellsopsyllus (W.) antarcticus sp. n. can be distinguished from its congeners by its small body size, the presence of two setae on the distal segment of the endopod of the first swimming leg, by the very small furcal rami, the extremely reduced endopods of second and third swimming legs, the reduced mandibular palp and maxillula, as well as by the size and armature of the fifth and sixth swimming legs in both sexes. Difficulties of the placement of the new species into a suitable genus show an insufficiency in the present family classification. In the future, a revision of the genus Wellsopsyllus is essential. With its presence in the western Weddell Sea and the Indian Ocean, the new species may have a wide distribution range. Furthermore, it is the first abyssal species of the genus Wellsopsyllus sampled outside of the Scotia Sea.     

A revision of the Scapholeberinae (Crustacea: Cladocera)

The group of hyponeustonic daphniid cladocera previously known under the generic name Scapholeberis is raised to the rank of a subfamily (Scapholeberinae) and contains two genera, Megafenestra n.gen. (2 species), and Scapholeberis s.s. (7 species and one subspecies). The characters upon which this revision is based are: structure of the rostrum, structure of the first antennae, structure of trunk limbs 1, 2, and 5, presence and nature of headpore(s), structure of the ventral rim of the valves, armature of the distal rim of the valves, structure of the postabdomen and its end-claws. Males were examined in all but two species, and proved to be more primitive than females and much less diagnostic than in the Chydoridae. It also appeared that the shape and armature of the postabdomen are less important taxonomical tools than heretofore supposed. In more than half of the species, it is of generalised shape and hardly usable beyond the species-group level. The same, although less drastically, holds true for the P1 of males. Of greatest diagnostic value at the species level are the shape of the rostrum and the armature of the valve margins. A phylogeny of the subfamily is proposed, with Megafenestra as the more primitive genus, closely allied to Ceriodaphnia, and within Scapholeberis, S. mucronata as the most apomorphic species. In biogeographical respect, no species is cosmopolitan, although their ranges may be of continental dimensions. Species and populations appear to concentrate in the temperate and continental climate belts of the northern hemisphere, but more research in the southern hemisphere is needed. A key for the identification of all species is given.