Lichomolgidae Kossmann, 1877

Kim, Il-Hoi & Boxshall, Geoff A., 2021, Copepods associated with Ascidian hosts (Tunicata): Intramolgidae and Lichomolgidae, with descriptions of four new genera and 13 new species, Zootaxa 5013 (1), pp. 1-75 : 13

Family Lichomolgidae Kossmann, 1877

Remarks. The family Lichomolgidae is a large family comprising 152 species ( Walter & Boxshall, 2020) found living in association with a wide range of marine invertebrate hosts, mainly molluscs, echinoderms and ascidians ( Boxshall & Halsey, 2004). Nine genera are specific to ascidian hosts; Ascẚdẚoxynus, aebruma, aontẚmolgus, eenẚcox ẚphẚum, eeteranthessẚus, iẚchomolgẚdẚum, iobomolgus, mrotomolgus, and Zygomolgus ( Boxshall & Halsey, 2004; Moon & Kim, I.H., 2011) K In addition, the type genus iẚchomolgus also includes species living in association with ascidians, as well as with other host groups, such as bivalve molluscs.

Genus Debruma Humes & Stock, 1972

Remarks. Within the Lichomolgidae three genera ( Botulosoma Carton, 1974 , Gelastomolgus Humes, 1968 , and aebruma) have only a single spine apically on the distal segment of the 2-segmented endopod of leg 4. An easy way to distinguish aebruma from these other two genera is to compare the armature of the third exopodal segments of legs 1 and 3. The third exopodal segment of leg 1 of aebruma is armed with 4 spines and 4 setae (formula III, I, 4), compared to 3 spines and 5 setae (formula II, I, 5) in Botulosoma , and 3 spines and 4 setae (formula II, I, 4) in Gelastomolgus . The third exopodal segment of leg 3 of aebruma is armed with 4 spines and 5 setae (formula III, I, 5), compared to 3 spines and 5 setae (formula II, I, 5) in Botulosoma and Gelastomolgus . Botulosoma is associated with echinoderms (Asteroidea) and Gelastomolgus with bivalve molluscs.