Labidocera boxshalli sp. nov., a new calanoid copepod (Crustacea; Pontellidae) from the Red Sea

A pontellid copepod, Labidocera boxshalli sp. nov., is described from the Egyptian coast of the northern Red Sea. This species is most readily distinguished from its congeners by the presence of a mid-dorsal process on the female genital double somite, the female fifth leg exopod terminating in two superimposed processes (the ventral of which is shorter), and by the elongated first exopodal segment of the male right fifth leg carrying a stout, blunt-tipped process and a small papilla laterally near the base of the thumb that bears one seta. The new species belongs to the L. detruncata species group, which is distributed mainly in the tropical/subtropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific.     

A new species of Harpacticella Sars, 1908 (Copepoda,Harpacticoida), from a tidal pool on Jeju Island,Korea

A new species of the genus Harpacticella Sars, 1908 is described from a tidal pool on Jeju Island, Korea. Harpacticella jejuensis sp. n. is closely related to Harpacticella itoi Chang & Kim, 1991, with regard to the structure of P1 exp-1 and enp-1, the length of P1 exp-1 and exp-2, and the setal number of the P5 exopod in males. However, the new species is clearly distinguishable from Harpacticella itoi by the combined following characters: six setae on the P5 exopod in females, one naked seta on the inner margin of P1 exp-2, the short endopod of P1 compared to the exopod, and a naked long seta on the proximal inner margin of the P5 exopod of males. The mtCOI partial sequence is provided as a DNA barcode for the new species.     

A new species of Tigriopus (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Harpacticidae) from Thailand with the description of its naupliar development

Both genders of Tigriopus thailandensis sp. nov. are described from a laboratory stock raised from individuals collected from the seaweed Enteromorpha clathrata in Thailand (Bangsaen Beach, Chonburi Province). Tigriopus thailandensis sp. nov. shares with its closest relative T. japonicus Mori, 1932 two setae on the third exopodal segment of leg 4 while other congeners bear 3 inner setae. However, allobasis and exopod of antenna in both genders are much more slender and elongate than in T. japonicus. All six naupliar stages of T. thailandensis are described from the offspring of isolated females. In comparison with nauplii of T. japonicus, T. thailandensis nauplii are characterized by the following: a smaller body size throughout the naupliar phase; first antennular segment without seta, second antennular segment with only one small seta plus two longer setae; third antennular segment with additional spinules from naupliar stage II onwards; antenna bears three small spinules on the terminal exopodal segment; one additional seta on the anterior surface of the antennary basis, tubular endopod of antenna with one tiny seta midlength at naupliar stage III that increases in size; mandibular basis with several spinules on anterior surface; mandibular coxa with one spinulose seta that is smooth in T. japonicus.     

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.     

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 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.     

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.     

Distribution of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Calanus</Emphasis> populations in a glaciated fjord in the Arctic (Hornsund,Spitsbergen)—the interplay between biological and physical factors

The distribution and diversity of copepods of the genus Calanus were investigated in Hornsund Fjord (on the southwest coast of Spitsbergen) in summer 2001. The Bhattacharya method was used to sort individuals by species based on their prosome length. The established prosome length boundary values for the Calanus copepodid stages coincided with those defined for the Calanus species from Kongsfjorden (on the northwest coast of Spitsbergen). The predominant species in the main and inner fjord basins was Calanus glacialis, whereas Calanus finmarchicus was the prevailing species outside Hornsund. Younger copepodid stages (CI–CIII) of both species concentrated in the surface water layers (0–50∼70 m), while older copepodids (CIV–CVI females) that were ready for wintering stayed in deep layers (50∼70 m to bottom). Calanus hyperboreus was present in low numbers, predominantly as CIV, and in Hornsund deep water layers. The distribution and diversity of Calanus species complied with the notion that the marine fauna in Hornsund is of a more Arctic character than in Kongsfjorden, a fjord 260 km to the north on the west coast of Spitsbergen.     

A new species of Vanbenedenia Malm, 1860 (Copepoda: Lernaeopodidae) from the Southern Indian Ocean

A rare find of the elusive genus Vanbenedenia off the south-eastern coast of South Africa on a Hydrolagus sp. proved to be an as yet undescribed species. Vanbenedenia hydrolagae n. sp. differs from the three other species of the genus by virtue of the relative length of the second maxillae, the absence of multiple setae on the exopod of the first maxilla and the bifid nature of the sclerotised hook and sub-terminal seta of the maxilliped. SEM micrographs provided information on the mouth-cone.     

Some harpacticoid copepods (Crustacea) of the family Tachidiidae from sublittoral soft sediments in Norway, the Celtic Sea and Gulf of Mexico

From an examination of the original material of G. O. Sars and new material from Björnehodebukta, Oslofjord, Psammis longisetosa Sars is redescribed, noting in particular the presence of 2 inner setae on P2 endopod 2 and 1 inner seta on P4 exopod 1. A new species is described from the Celtic Sea, Paradanielssenia biclavata , characterized by the presence of club-shaped appendages on the mouthparts and differing from P. kunzi Soyer in mouthpart structure and limb setation. Specimens from the Gulf of Mexico have been assigned to a new subspecies, Thompsonula hyaenae elongata , after careful comparison with specimens of the nominate T. hyaenae (I. C. Thompson) from Europe and South Carolina.     

Interrelationships Between Microbiological and Chemical Parameters of Sandy Beach Sediments, a Summer Aspect

At 12 stations located in sandy beach sediments of the brackish water Kiel Fjord and Kiel Bight (Baltic Sea, FRG), variations and interrelationships of microbiological, chemical, and physicochemical parameters were monitored. Depending upon location, wide variations of a number of parameters reflecting dissolved organic and inorganic nutrients, chlorophyll a, microbial number, and uptake activity of glucose were measured. Whereas most of the parameters generally showed the tendency to decrease from the inner to the outer Kiel Fjord, individual parameters (oxygen, particulate nitrogen, ribose, chlorophyll a, glucose/fructose ratio) increased with increasing distance from the inner Kiel Fjord. Similarities in the local variation pattern demonstrated various relationships between individual parameters. Among those, dissolved organic nutrients on the one hand and inorganic nutrients on the other hand were closely linked together. Variations of organic and inorganic nutrients corresponded to variations of microbial activity and physicochemical parameters. By comparing standing stock carbon with carbon production, a microbial biomass turnover time of about 100 h was calculated. Approximately 50% of the microphytobenthos primary production was fixed by microorganisms. Daily microbial carbon production (43 mg of C per m²) was in the range of meiofauna carbon (35 mg of C per m²).     

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.     

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.     

Caligus solea n. sp. (Copepoda: Caligidae) parasitic on the common sole Solea solea (Linnaeus) from the north-eastern Mediterranean off the Turkish coast

A new species of caligid copepod, Caligus solea n. sp., is described from the common sole Solea solea (Linnaeus) caught off the north-eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Both sexes of the parasite were collected from all over the upper body surface of its host. The new species belongs to the macarovi-group of species as established by Boxshall & Gurney (Bull Br Mus (Nat Hist) (Zool), 39:161–178, 1980), with which it shares the following four characters: (i) leg 4 with two-segmented exopod, distal segment carrying three apical spines but no lateral spine; (ii) distal exopodal segment of leg 1 with three plumose setae posteriorly plus four distal margin elements, spine 1 naked, spines 2 and 3 with accessory process and spine 4 about twice length of the others; (iii) females with one-segmented abdomen while males with two-segmented abdomen; (iv) male maxilliped with myxal process opposing the tip of the subchela. However, the new species differs from its congeners within the macarovi-group in the number of sensillae on each papilla on and around the postantennal process, and also in the absence of serrations along the distal margin of the maxilla. This is the twenty-eighth species of Caligus to be reported from the Mediterranean Sea.     

Anisakis spp. in toothed and baleen whales from Japanese waters with notes on their potential role as biological tags

In this study, Anisakis nematodes isolated from toothed and baleen whales from localities around Japan were molecularly (PCR-RFLP) identified. In Wakayama, common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) were infected with A. simplex sensu stricto (s.s.), A. typica and A. pegreffii, while A. typica was the only species found in pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata) and striped dolphin (S. coeruleoalba). Offshore common minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and sei whales (B. borealis) were almost exclusively infected with A. simplex s.s.. However, in common minke whales from two Hokkaido localities, mature worms mostly consisted of A. simplex s.s. in some individuals and of A. pegreffii in others, but immature worms were mainly A. simplex s.s.. Gross and histopathological examination on gastric mucosa attached by anisakids resulted in mild and superficial reactions by the two baleen whale species in contrast to severe inflammatory reaction associated with ulcer formations by common bottlenose dolphin. Host specificity and adaptability of Anisakis spp. in these baleen and toothed whales were discussed from the points of view of adult worm size, worm population and pathological reactions by hosts. Interestingly, most of the common minke whales predominantly harboring mature A. pegreffii adults belonged to the Yellow Sea – East China Sea stock (J stock), which migrates through the Sea of Japan, whereas most of those mainly parasitized by mature A. simplex s.s. adults were from the Okhotsk Sea – West Pacific stock (O stock), mostly inhabiting the Pacific side, suggesting that these sibling species may have utility as biological tags to differentiate whale stocks. These results represent the first definitive host records for A. pegreffi in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean.     

Genetic markers in the study of Anisakis typica (Diesing, 1860): larval identification and genetic relationships with other species of Anisakis Dujardin, 1845 (Nematoda: Anisakidae)

Genetic variation at 21 gene-enzyme systems was studied in a sample of an adult population of Anisakis typica (Diesing, 1860) recovered in the dolphin Sotalia fluviatilis from the Atlantic coast of Brazil. The characteristic alleles, detected in this population, made it possible to identify as A. typica, Anisakis larvae with a Type I morphology (sensu Berland, 1961) from various fishes: Thunnus thynnus and Auxis thazard from Brazil waters, Trachurus picturatus and Scomber japonicus from Madeiran waters, Scomberomorus commerson, Euthynnus affinis, Sarda orientalis and Coryphaena hippurus from the Somali coast of the Indian Ocean, and Merluccius merluccius from the Eastern Mediterranean. Characteristic allozymes are given for the identification, at any life-stage and in both sexes, of A. typica and the other Anisakis species so far studied genetically. The distribution of A. typica in warmer temperate and tropical waters is confirmed; the definitive hosts so far identified for this species belong to delphinids, phocoenids and pontoporids. The present findings represent the first established records of intermediate/paratenic hosts of A. typica and extend its range to Somali waters of the Indian Ocean and to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. A remarkable genetic homogeneity was observed in larval and adult samples of A. typica despite their different geographical origin; interpopulation genetic distances were low, ranging from D _Nei=0.004 (Eastern Mediterranean versus Somali) to D _Nei=0.010 (Brazilian versus Somali). Accordingly, indirect estimates of gene flow gave a rather high average value of Nm = 6.00. Genetic divergence of A. typica was, on average, D _Nei=1.12 from the members of the A. simplex complex (A. simplex s.s, A. pegreffii, A. simplex C) and D _Nei=1.41 from A. ziphidarum, which all share Type I larvae; higher values were found from both A. physeteris (D _Nei=2.77)     

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.     

A marine harpacticoid,Quinquelaophonte koreana sp. nov. from a sandy beach in Korea (Crustacea: Copepoda)

A new interstitial copepod of the family Laophontidae was found in the samples from a sandy beach at Taean, west coast of Korea. This species was described and named as Quinquelaophonte koreana sp. nov. Present new species is clearly distinguishable from its congeners with the combined characters of the short caudal ramus and its short ornamented seta V, two setae on the antennary exopod, and small rounded rostrum. Q. koreana sp. nov. is the first record of Quinquelaophonte from the Northeast Asian coast.     

Anthessius kimjensis,a new species of Anthessiidae (Copepoda; Poecilostomatoida) associated with the pelecypod Solen grandis Dunker in Korea

Anthessius kimjensis n. sp. is described based on the specimens recovered from the pelecypod Solen grandis Dunker in the Korean coast of the Yellow Sea. The new species is distinguished from congeners by having a combination of characters: setal formula II, I, 5 on distal segment of leg 4 exopod, three terminal hooks on distal segment of second antenna, and ratio of length to width on caudal ramus (2.2:1).     

A new poecilostomatoid copepod (Erebonasteridae) from deep-sea cold seeps at the West Florida Escarpment

A new species of poecilostomatoid copepod, Erebonaster spinulosus (Erebonasteridae), is described on the basis of a single female from a depth of 3 266 m at cold seeps near the base of the West Florida Escarpment in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Among its distinctive features are: the large body highly ornamented with setules and spinules, the rostrum with small median teeth and lateral setules, the claw of the second maxilla with a prominent knob on the concave margin, the maxilliped ornamented with setules and its claw bearing a digitiform process near the seta, the third segment of the exopod of leg 4 with the formula II,I,4, and the highly ornamented leg 5 having on the free segment a very long seta 9 times the length of the segment.The genus Erebonaster now contains two species, the previously described Erebonaster protentipes found in 2000 m at the Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California, and the new Erebonaster spinulosus.