Lucionitocrella, Karanovic & Hancock, 2009

Karanovic, Tomislav & Hancock, Peter, 2009, On the diagnostic characters of the genus Stygonitocrella (Copepoda, Harpacticoida), with descriptions of seven new species from Australian subterranean waters 2324, Zootaxa 2324 (1), pp. 1-85 : 29-30

Genus Lucionitocrella gen. nov.

Diagnosis. Small Ameiridae , with cylindrical habitus and no distinct demarcation between prosome and urosome. Integument weakly chitinized and without cuticular windows; hyaline fringe of all somites smooth. First pedigerous somite incorporated into cephalothorax. Prosome weakly ornamented with moderately large sensilla, urosome additionally ornamented with posterior ventral row of small spinules. Genital double-somite without visible suture or lateral constrictions; genital field with single small copulatory pore, narrow copulatory duct and two small triangular seminal receptacles; single small genital aperture covered by fused reduced sixth legs. Anal operculum wide and convex, not reaching to posterior end of anal somite, ornamented with more than 25 minute spinules near posterior margin. Caudal rami slightly longer than their greatest width (ventral view), conical, slightly divergent, with space between them about one ramus width; armed with seven armature elements (three lateral, one dorsal and three apical): dorsal seta inserted near posterior margin and close to inner margin, about twice as long as caudal ramus; lateral setae of about same length, somewhat shorter than dorsal one and also inserted quite close to posterior margin; principal apical setae with breaking plane. Antennula long and slender, eight-segmented in female and ten-segmented and geniculate in male, with smooth seta on first segment. Antenna composed of coxa, basis, two-segmented endopod and one-segmented exopod; exopod minute, armed with one apical seta. Labrum with narrow and convex cutting edge. Mandibula with narrow cutting edge and two-segmented palp; basis unarmed, endopod with four apical setae. Maxillular endopod armed with single apical seta. Maxilla with single endite on syncoxa; endopod minute, armed with two setae. Maxilliped three-segmented, armed with one seta on syncoxa and one on endopod. All swimming legs with three-segmented exopod. Endopod of first leg threesegmented; endopod of other legs one-segmented. All exopodal segments of about same length; first exopodal segment of all legs without inner seta, second with inner seta; third exopodal segment of first leg with two outer spines and no inner setae, that of second leg with three outer spines and no inner setae, third leg with two outer spines and no inner setae and fourth leg with two outer spines and one inner seta. First endopodal segment of first leg large, reaching to posterior margin of second exopodal segment, armed with short spiniform inner seta; endopod of second leg with two setae, that of third leg with three and fourth leg with two setae. Inner spine on basis of first leg transformed, smooth and inflated distally, in male; only other sexual dimorphism in swimming legs involves the outer apical seta on third leg endopod, which is much shorter and spiniform in male. Fifth legs same in both sexes, reduced to single wide cuticular plate, but distinct from somite, with all armature on two lateral knobs; inner knob, representing exopod, armed with three smooth slender setae; outer knob represents outer part of basis and armed with single seta; endopodal lobe absent. Sixth leg in male a distinct cuticular plate, without armature or ornamentation.

Type and only species. Lucionitocrella yalleenensis sp. nov.

Etymology. The genus name is dedicated to Prof Giuseppe Lucio Pesce (University of L’Aquila, Italy), as a recognition of his huge contribution to copepodology in general and especially to his pioneering work on Australian subterranean copepods. As both his home and the University of L’Aquila were completely destroyed in a recent powerful earthquake, we hope that he will find strength to continue his contribution in this field. His middle name is prefixed to the existing genus name Nitocrella . Gender feminine.