taxonID	type	description	language	source
5E1F87E26C4D9A26FF6DFAB7FEE1F830.taxon	description	(Figs 1 A – F) Host: Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus) (Scombridae: Scombriformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) Material examined: 1 ♀ Material collected: 1 ♀ from K. pelamis Adult female (Fig. 1 A) antenna with spatulate posterior spine (arrowed) on proximal segment (Fig. 1 B); post-antennal process (pap) recurved or nearly at right angle (Fig. 1 C); maxillule posterior process (mpp) with pointed tip (Fig. 1 D); sternal furca (sf) tines widely divergent (Fig. 1 B); leg 2 endopod second segment with 2 – 3 rows of strong denticles (arrowed) on outer margin (Fig. 1 E; cf. Fig. 14 in Cressey (1991 )); leg 4 proximal segment distolateral spine (dls) reaching beyond base of lateral spine (I) of compound segment and this spine reaches beyond bases of terminal spines (II, III and IV) of compound segment, distomedial spine (IV) almost twice length of other spines (Fig. 1 F) (cf. Cressey 1991).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C4D9A26FF6DFAB7FEE1F830.taxon	discussion	Remarks: Previous records of C. asperimanus were from Lutjanus (Lutjanidae: Acanthuriformes) species (Cressey 1991). Thus, K. pelamis represents a new host record for C. asperimanus and it is also a new record off South Africa.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C4D9A26FF6DFB8BFCB1FA84.taxon	description	Leg 4 3 - segmented with compound distal segment armed with 4 spines (I, III); leg 1 distal exopodal segment posterior / inner margin with 3 pinnate setae; leg 2 second endopodal segment outer margin with large denticles; antenna with small process on proximal segment (Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C4F9A23FF6DFF7EFADDFE24.taxon	description	(Figs 2 A – E) Hosts: Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus); Scomberomorus commerson (Lacepède) (Scombridae: Scombriformes); Sphyraena barracuda (Edwards) (Sphyraenidae: Carangiformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) — K. pelamis, S. commerson; off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) — S. barracuda Material examined: 11 ♀ + 1 ♂ Material collected: 2 ♀ from S. commerson; 7 ♀ + 1 ♂ from S. barracuda; and 2 ♀ from K. pelamis Voucher material: 3 ♀ (SAMC-A 099195) from S. barracuda deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 2 A) distinguished by its small size and short abdomen (about 10 % of total length); antenna (a 2) with small, narrow posterior process (arrowed) on proximal segment (Fig. 2 B); post-antennal process (pap) with small, acutely pointed tine (Fig. 2 B); sternal furca with slender, pointed tines (Fig. 2 C); leg 2 endopod first segment with long distolateral spinules (s), second segment outer margin with double row of 6 – 8 strong denticles (d) (Fig. 2 D); leg 4 outer spines I – III (arrowed) equal length (Fig. 2 E) (cf. Cressey & Cressey 1980; Ho & Lin 2004; Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C4F9A23FF6DFF7EFADDFE24.taxon	discussion	Remarks: This confirms the previous report of C. asymmetricus from S. commerson and K. pelamis off South Africa (Oldewage & Van As 1989; Dippenaar 2004) while S. barracuda constitutes a new host record.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C489A21FF6DFE1AFB5BFE7C.taxon	description	(Figs 3 A – D) Hosts: Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus); Scomberomorus commerson (Lacepède) (Scombridae: Scombriformes); Sphyraena barracuda (Edwards) (Sphyraenidae: Carangiformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) — K. pelamis, S. commerson; off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) — S. barracuda Material examined: 6 ♀ + 4 ♂ Material collected: 1 ♀ + 1 ♂ from K. pelamis; 12 ♀ + 5 ♂ from S. commerson; 6 ♀ + 3 ♂ from S. barracuda Voucher material: 3 ♀ + 2 ♂ (SAMC-A 099196) from S. commerson deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 3 A) genital complex distolateral corners lobed, reaching posterior margin of proximal segment of 2 - segmented abdomen; antenna with pointed posterior process (arrowed) on proximal segment (Figs 3 B, C); post-antennal process (pap) robust, strongly curved with small inner pointed process (ip) (Figs 3 B, C); sternal furca (sf) with widely divergent tines with tips slightly recurved inwards (Fig. 3 C); leg 4 proximal segment with bulging outer margin (arrowed) (Fig. 3 D) (cf. Cressey & Cressey 1980; Pillai 1985).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C489A21FF6DFE1AFB5BFE7C.taxon	discussion	Remarks: This report confirms previous reports off southern Africa (Dippenaar 2004).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C4A9A21FF6DFDAFFF3DF9D8.taxon	description	(Figs 4 A – G) Hosts: Chrysoblephus puniceus (Gilchrist & Thompson) (Sparidae: Acanthuriformes); Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus (Coryphaenidae: Carangiformes); Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus) (Scombridae: Scombriformes) Material examined: 5 ♀ + 5 ♂ Material collected: 4 ♀ from C. puniceus; 3 ♀ from C. hippurus; 6 ♀ + 7 ♂ from K. pelamis Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) Voucher material: 2 ♀ + 2 ♂ (SAMC-A 099197) from K. pelamis deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 4 A) genital complex distolateral corners lobed, extending towards proximal third of abdomen; antenna (a 2) with blunt posterior process (arrowed) on proximal segment (Fig. 4 B); post-antennal process (pap) with slender curved tine with conical inner process (ip) (Fig. 4 B); maxillule posterior process (mpp) slender (Fig. 4 B); sternal furca (sf) with slightly divergent tines with lateral flanges (Figs 4 B, C); leg 1 last exopodal segment with inner setae short (arrowed) (about as long as spine 2) (Fig. 4 D), basal setules on distalmost seta unusually stout (arrowed) (Fig. 4 E); leg 2 endopod first and second segments with strong denticles (arrowed) on outer margins (Fig. 4 F); leg 4 proximal segment distomedial spine (IV) almost twice length of other spines (Fig. 4 G) (cf. C. biseriodentatus in Cressey & Cressey 1980; Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C4A9A21FF6DFDAFFF3DF9D8.taxon	discussion	Remarks: The examined specimens mostly conform to those described as C. biseriodentatus Shen (Cressey & Cressey 1980; Boxshall 2018) except for the shape of the posterolateral corners of the genital complex which extends further in the current specimens. In the notes regarding the synonymising of C. biseriodentatus and C. pauliani (Boxshall & Bernot 2023) it is mentioned that the two species exhibit the same distinctive features namely amongst others, that the abdominal segments together are longer than the genital complex and that the four spines on the distal exopodal segment of leg 4 are “ smaller than the outer margin spine ” on the first exopodal segment. These character descriptions do not apply to the examined specimens but also not to those described by Cressey & Cressey (1980) (see Figs 57 A, 58 B) or Boxshall (2018) (see Figs 20 A, 20 F). Previous reports were all from Scombridae and Sphyraenidae (Boxshall & Bernot 2018, Dippenaar 2004). Therefore, these reports from C. puniceus (Acanthuriformes) and C. hippurus (Carangiformes) are both new host records.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C4A9A2EFF6DF94BFB9DFE24.taxon	description	(Figs 5 A – F) Hosts: Scomberomorus commerson (Lacepède) (Scombridae: Scombriformes); Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus (Coryphaenidae: Carangiformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) — both hosts; off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) — C. hippurus Material examined: 5 ♀ + 3 ♂ Material collected: 1 ♂ from S. commerson; and 42 ♀ + 8 ♂ from C. hippurus Voucher material: 3 ♀ + 2 ♂ (SAMC-A 099198) from Coryphaena hippurus deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 5 A) genital complex distolateral corners slightly lobate, only reaching proximal part of 1 - segmented abdomen with slightly indented lateral margin posteriorly; antenna (a 2) with small pointed posterior process (arrowed) on basal segment (Fig. 5 B); post-antennal process (pap) with small weakly curved tine (Fig. 5 B); sternal furca (sf) with slightly divergent tines, tips blunt with lateral flanges (Figs 5 B, C); leg 1 distal exopodal segment posterior pinnate setae (arrowed) armed with fine setules (Fig. 5 D); leg 2 second endopod segment outer margin with large denticles (d) (Fig. 5 E); leg 3 first exopodal segment with weakly curved distolateral spine (ds) (Fig. 5 F) (cf. Kamanli 2020; Özak 2020).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C4A9A2EFF6DF94BFB9DFE24.taxon	discussion	Remarks: This is the first time that C. quadratus is reported off southern Africa.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C459A2EFF6DFCF7FC77FA48.taxon	description	(Figs 6 A – G) Host: Caranx ignobilis (Forsskål) (Carangidae: Carangiformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) Material examined: 5 ♀ + 3 ♂ Material collected: 36 ♀ + 16 ♂ from C. ignobilis Voucher material: 3 ♀ + 2 ♂ (SAMC-A 099199) from C. ignobilis deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 6 A) with short abdomen wider than long; antenna with well-developed posterior process on basal segment; post-antennal process bifid (Fig. 6 B); maxillule with dentiform posterior process (mpp) bifid, smaller tine basal to main tine (Fig. 6 C); sternal furca tines blunt with marginal flanges (Fig. 6 D); leg 1 exopod last segment with basal medial pinnate seta (arrowed) same length as distolateral seta 4, others shorter (Fig. 6 E); leg 3 protopod with circular group of truncated denticles (arrowed) (Fig. 6 F), first exopodal segment with large recurved distolateral hook (ds), without inner seta (Fig. 6 F); leg 4 3 - segmented with I, I, III spines (arrowed) respectively (Fig. 6 G) (cf. Pillai 1985; Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C459A2EFF6DFCF7FC77FA48.taxon	discussion	Remarks: The total length of this female copepod is about 3.7 mm which agrees with that reported by Pillai (1985) and Özak et al. (2013) and is bigger than the length reported by Boxshall (2018) from Australian waters. This is the first report of C. brevicaudus from south African waters.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C459A2EFF6DFE17FF2CFD44.taxon	description	Leg 4 3 - segmented with respectively I, I, III spines; leg 3 with raised bifid cuticular rib and arrangement of denticles on apron, first exopodal segment with distolateral spine forming large, recurved hook; post-antennal process commonly with accessory tine; posterior maxillary dentiform process commonly with accessory tine (Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C459A2DFF6DF9FBFD9BFE94.taxon	description	(Figs 7 A – F) Hosts: Caranx ignobilis (Forsskål); Seriola lalandi Valenciennes (Carangidae: Carangiformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) — C. ignobilis, S. lalandi; off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) — S. lalandi Material examined: 3 ♀ + 3 ♂ Material collected: 6 ♀ + 5 ♂ from C. ignobilis; and 2 ♀ from S. lalandi Voucher material: 1 ♀ + 1 ♂ (SAMC-A 099200) from C. ignobilis deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 7 A) with short abdomen longer than wide; genital complex about 5 x longer; antenna basal segment with flattened membranous flange (arrowed) (Fig. 7 B); post-antennal process bifid, primary tine (arrowed) with marginal flange (Fig. 7 C); maxillule with dentiform posterior process trifid (arrowed), main tine with marginal flange (Fig. 7 D); sternal furca tines tapering, pointed (Fig. 7 E); leg 4 3 - segmented with I, I, III spines (arrowed) respectively (Fig. 7 F) (cf. Ho & Lin 2004; Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C459A2DFF6DF9FBFD9BFE94.taxon	discussion	Remarks: Both host reports constitute new hosts records from southern African waters with S. lalandi an overall new host record for C. confusus.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C479A2BFF6DF8FDFBF8FD0C.taxon	description	(Figs 8 A – 9 D) Hosts: Turrum gymnostethus (Cuvier); Seriola lalandi Valenciennes (Carangidae: Carangiformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) — T. gymnostethus, off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) — S. lalandi Material examined: 5 ♀ + 5 ♂ Material collected: 4 ♀ from T. gymnostethus; 119 ♀ + 71 ♂ from S. lalandi Voucher material: 3 ♀ + 3 ♂ (SAMC-A 099201) from S. lalandi deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 8 A) genital complex posterolateral corners slightly lobate, angular; short abdomen usually with lateral constriction in posterior third; antennule with elongated distal segment (arrowed) (Fig. 8 A); antenna basal segment with small, rounded process (arrowed) (Fig. 8 B); post-antennal process bifid (arrowed), secondary tine close to base, main tine with lateral flanges (Fig. 8 C); maxillule with dentiform posterior process bifid, main tine with marginal flanges (arrowed) (Fig. 8 D); maxilliped with small tubercle on myxal area (arrowed) (Fig. 8 E); sternal furca tines slightly recurved inwards, rounded, with marginal flanges (Fig. 9 A); leg 1 with small tubercle on ventral surface of basis (arrowed) (Fig. 9 B); leg 3 protopod with circular patch of 14 – 19 truncated denticles (arrowed) (Fig. 9 C); leg 4 last exopodal segment with innermost terminal spine (IV) distinctly longer than other terminal spines (Fig. 9 D) (cf. C. aesopus in Choe & Kim 2010; Özak et al. 2019).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C479A2BFF6DF8FDFBF8FD0C.taxon	discussion	Remarks: Turrum gymnostethus represents a new host record for this species.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C419A2AFF6DF8E8FE02F87D.taxon	description	Leg 4 3 - segmented with I, I, III spines respectively; leg 1 last exopodal segment with three posterior / medial pinnate setae, terminal spines 2 and 3 apparently without accessory processes; leg 2 second and third endopodal segments’ surfaces covered with fine setules and distolateral spines of first and second exopodal segments aligning to longitudinal axis of rami; antenna without proximal process; post-antennal process tine vestigial or weakly developed (Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C419A2AFF6DFF7EFBDAFD09.taxon	description	(Figs 10 A – D) Host: Seriola lalandi Valenciennes (Carangidae: Carangiformes) Locality: Off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) Material examined: 5 ♀ + 3 ♂ Material collected: 45 ♀ + 18 ♂ from S. lalandi Voucher material: 3 ♀ + 3 ♂ (SAMC-A 099202) from S. lalandi deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 10 A) genital complex posterolateral corners not lobate, rounded; short abdomen, fusiform (evenly convex lateral margins); antenna basal segment with small, tapered process (arrowed) (Fig. 10 B); leg 3 protopod with circular patch of more than 25 small truncated denticles (arrowed) (Fig. 10 C); leg 4 last exopodal segment terminal spines of similar lengths (Fig. 10 D) (cf. Choe & Kim 2010; Özak et al. 2019).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C419A2AFF6DFF7EFBDAFD09.taxon	discussion	Remarks: This constitutes a new record of C. spinosus off southern Africa.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C429A28FF6DFF7EFC67FD90.taxon	description	(Figs 11 A – 12 B) Hosts: Thyrsites atun (Euphrasen) (Gempylidae: Scombriformes); Seriola lalandi Valenciennes (Carangidae: Carangiformes) Locality: Off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) — T. atun, S. lalandi Material examined: 6 ♀ Material collected: 11 ♀ from T. atun; and 7 ♀ from S. lalandi Voucher material: 2 ♀ (SAMC-A 099203) from T. atun deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 11 A) almost 5 mm in total length; genital complex posterolateral corners not lobate, rounded; elongated abdomen, indistinctly 2 - segmented, fusiform (evenly convex lateral margins); post-antennal process with reduced, vestigial tine (arrowed) (Fig. 11 B); sternal furca tines broad, blunt-tipped (Fig. 11 C); leg 1 last exopodal segment terminal spine 2 tapered (arrowed) (Fig. 11 D); leg 2 exopodal segments 2 and 3 distolateral spines (arrowed) mostly aligned with longitudinal axis with ramus (Fig. 11 E); endopodal segments 2 and 3 with large patch of denticles (arrowed) on outer margins (Fig. 12 A); leg 4 last segment with extended distomedial fringe of modified pecten (arrowed) (Fig. 12 B) (cf. Cressey & Cressey 1980; Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C429A28FF6DFF7EFC67FD90.taxon	discussion	Remarks: This is the first report from S. lalandi off South Africa.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C439A28FF6DFA4EFB85F81F.taxon	description	(Figs 13 A – C) Hosts: Argyrosomus japonicus (Temminck & Schlegel); Otolithes ruber (Bloch & Schneider) (Sciaeniformes: Sciaenidae) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) Material examined: 5 ♀ + 2 ♂ Material collected: 5 ♀ + 2 ♂ from A. japonicus; and 1 ♀ from O. ruber Voucher material: 2 ♀ + 1 ♂ (SAMC-A 099204) from A. japonicus deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 13 A) with very long abdomen; small antenna (arrowed) (Fig. 13 B); no sternal furca; leg 4 3 - segmented with I, I, III laterally pectinated spines (arrowed) respectively (Fig. 13 C) (cf. Kabata 1979; Dojiri & Ho 2013).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C439A28FF6DFA4EFB85F81F.taxon	discussion	Remarks: This is the first host report from O. ruber from South African waters.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C5C9A37FF6DFBD0FE08FAA5.taxon	description	Leg 4 3 - segmented with compound distal segment armed with only 3 terminal spines (without lateral spine), thus I, III spines respectively; leg 1 distal exopodal segment with 3 posterior / medial pinnate setae, 3 terminal spines (1, 2 and 3) with accessory processes on spines 2 and 3, seta 4 distinctly longer than terminal spines; antenna with proximal posterior process; maxilla with marginal serrations on distal margin of brachium; abdomen 1 - segmented in female (Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C5C9A35FF6DFA94FC16FEEC.taxon	description	(Figs 14 A – 15 D) Host: Mustelus mustelus (Linnaeus) (Carcharhiniformes: Triakidae) Locality: Off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) Material examined: 3 ♀ Material collected: 3 ♀ from M. mustelus Voucher material: 1 ♀ (SAMC-A 099205) from M. mustelus deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 14 A) genital complex wider than long; abdomen 1 - segmented; antenna with spinuous proximal process (arrowed) (Fig. 14 B), large conical process with concave tip (arrowed) and small subapical seta (s) proximally on terminal segment (Fig. 14 C); post-antennal process with distal flange (arrowed) (Fig. 14 D); maxillule with dentiform posterior process bifid, smaller tine (arrowed) basal to main tine (Fig. 14 E), small triangular protuberance (arrowed) posteromedial to tip of dentiform process (Fig. 14 F); maxilliped with prominent acuminate process (arrowed) basal on corpus (Fig. 15 A); sternal furca small with parallel tines (Fig. 15 B); leg 1 last exopodal segment with terminal seta 4 (4) distinctly longer than terminal spines (ts) (Fig. 15 C); leg 4 3 - segmented with I, III spines (arrowed) respectively (Fig. 15 D) (cf. Boxshall & Gurney 1980; Kabata & Taureen 1984).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C5C9A35FF6DFA94FC16FEEC.taxon	discussion	Remarks: Caligus antennatus has only been reported from Acanthopagrus latus (Houttuyn) (Sparidae: Acanthuriformes) (Boxshall & Gurney 1980; Kabata & Taureen 1984). Therefore, this finding from an elasmobranch is unusual. Additionally, the habitus of the adult female differs slightly from that illustrated by Boxshall & Gurney (1980) (see Fig. 8 A in Boxshall & Gurney (1980 )) with the genital complex wider than long and the posterolateral corners of the genital complex slightly lobate (see Fig. 14 A). Furthermore, the proximal process on the antenna is blunt ended rather than spinuous (see Fig. 14 B). However, the distinguishing features of C. antennatus i. e. the structure of the antenna, post-antennal process, maxillule, maxilliped, sternal furca, length of leg 1 last exopod terminal seta 4 and structure of leg 4 (Boxshall & Gurney 1980; Kabata & Taureen 1984) all conforms to those of the examined specimens and thus they are identified as C. antennatus. This report constitutes a new species and host record off South Africa.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C5E9A32FF6DF98DFA9AFDB4.taxon	description	(Figs 16 A – 17 E) Host: Galeorhinus galeus (Linnaeus) (Carcharhiniformes: Triakidae) Locality: Off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) Material examined: 1 ♀ Material collected: 1 ♀ from G. galeus Adult female (Fig. 16 A) cephalothorax more than half of total length; genital complex slightly longer than wide, posterolateral corners lobate; abdomen small, 1 - segmented, about ⅓ length of genital complex, posterior margin protruded with slit-like anus (Fig. 16 B); antenna (a 2) with small proximal process (arrowed) (Fig. 16 C), claw strongly curved (Figs 16 C, D); post-antennal process (pap) tine weakly curved, blunt-ending (Figs 16 C, D); maxillule with dentiform posterior process (mpp) slightly curved, blunt tip (Figs 16 C, D); sternal furca with short, divergent, blunt-ended tines curved inwards distally (Figs 16 D, E); leg 1 last exopodal segment with 3 posterior pinnate setae, terminal seta 4 (4) distinctly longer than terminal spines (ts) 1 – 3, almost as long as segment, spines 2 and 3 with accessory processes (ap) (Fig. 16 F) longer than spine 1; leg 2 exopod segments 1 and 2 distolateral spines (arrowed) lying obliquely over surface of ramus, not reaching the inner setae (Fig. 17 A), endopodal segment 2 with setules (s) along outer margin, endopodal segment 3 with patch of denticles (d) proximally on outer margin (Fig. 17 B); leg 3 exopodal segment 1 distolateral spine (ds) slightly curved, not reaching articulation between segments 2 and 3 (Fig. 17 C); leg 4 3 - segmented with I, III spines (arrowed) respectively, increasing in length from outer to inner (Fig. 17 D).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C5E9A32FF6DF98DFA9AFDB4.taxon	discussion	Remarks: This specimen exhibits all the distinguishing features of the C. macarovi - group except the marginal serrations on the distal margin of the maxilla brachium (cf. Fig. 63 G in Boxshall (2018 )) that was not observed (arrowed) (Fig. 17 E) and leg 1 exopod spines 1 to 3 that is not of similar length, but with spine 1 about half the length of spines 2 and 3 (see Fig. 16 F). Thus, it was compared with the descriptions and / or illustrations of all 42 species currently in this group (see Table 5 in Boxshall 2018). Although the habitus is the closest to that of C. pseudokalumai Lewis it differs in many other aspects from this species i. e. the total length of the current specimen (3.43 mm vs 2.89 mm) the size of the proximal process on the antenna, the structure of the maxillule dentiform posterior process, the shape of the sternal furca tines, the length of the leg 1 last exopod terminal spine 1 and also the length of the spines on leg 4 (cf. Lewis 1968). Additionally, the only species reported from an elasmobranch that forms part of the C. macarovi - group is C. punctatus Shiino (Tang & Newbound 2004). The current specimen differs in the structure of the habitus (see Fig. 1 in Shiino (1955 )) as well as in total length (3.43 mm vs 2.49 mm) from C. punctatus as well as in the morphology of the antenna proximal process, maxilliped, length of leg 1 last expodal terminal spines, leg 2 length of exopodal spines, leg 4 length of spines (cf. Shiino 1955). The structure of legs 1 and 4 is similar to that of C. tumulus Hayes, Christison, Vaughan, Smit & Boxshall, 2021 (see Fig. 6 G in Hayes et al. (2021 )), but the current specimen clearly differs from C. tumulus in many other aspects of the morphology (e. g. habitus, antenna proximal process, maxillule posterior process, maxilliped, sternal furca) (cf. Hayes et al. 2021). Therefore, this may be a new species, but with only one available specimen it will remain as Caligus sp.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C599A32FF6DFD67FB63FCD4.taxon	description	Leg 4 3 - segmented with compound distal segment armed with 4 spines (I and IV (rarely III) spines, respectively); leg 1 last exopodal segment without 3 posterior / medial pinnate setae, or only single vestigial seta; leg 2 second endopodal segment with long, tapering spinules along outer margin; antenna with well-developed proximal process; small process medial to post-antennal process (Boxshall & El-Rashidy 2009; Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C599A32FF6DFC47FBCEF9FC.taxon	description	(Figs 18 A – D) Hosts: Chrysoblephus puniceus (Gilchrist & Thompson) (Sparidae: Acanthuriformes); Acanthocybium solandri (Cuvier); Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre); Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus) (Scombridae: Scombriformes); Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus (Coryphaenidae: Carangiformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) Material examined: 6 ♀ + 4 ♂ Material collected: 4 ♀ + 1 ♂ from C. puniceus; 26 ♀ + 3 ♂ from A. solandri; 101 ♀ + 63 ♂ from T. albacares; 109 ♀ + 34 ♂ from K. pelamis and 81 ♀ + 23 ♂ from C. hippurus Voucher material: 3 ♀ + 3 ♂ (SAMC-A 099206) from T. albacares deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 18 A) genital complex posterolateral corners prominently lobate; abdomen long, 2 - segmented; sternal furca (sf) with straight, slightly divergent tines (Fig. 18 B); leg 1 last exopodal segment without pinnate posterior setae (arrowed), terminal seta 4 (4) longer than segment (Fig. 18 B); leg 2 second endopodal segment with double row of large denticles (arrowed) on outer margin (Fig. 18 C); leg 4 3 - segmented with I, IV spines (arrowed) respectively (Fig. 18 D, cf. Fig. 44 B in Cressey & Cressey (1980 )) (cf. Cressey & Cressey 1980; Ho & Lin 2004; Boxshall & El-Rashidy 2009).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C599A32FF6DFC47FBCEF9FC.taxon	discussion	Remarks: Caligus productus have been reported from a variety of hosts (Boxshall & El-Rashidy 2009). This report adds C. puniceus and C. hippurus as new host records off South Africa.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C599A3EFF6DF92FFB2FFD78.taxon	description	(Figs 19 A – 20 F) Hosts: Cheimerius nufar (Valenciennes); Chrysoblephus puniceus (Gilchrist & Thompson) (Sparidae: Acanthuriformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) Material examined: 3 ♀ + 1 ♂ Material collected: 6 ♀ + 1 ♂ from C. nufar; and 2 ♀ from C. puniceus Voucher material: 2 ♀ (SAMC-A 099207) from C. puniceus deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 19 A) cephalothorax slightly longer (about 1.04 times) than genital complex and abdomen combined; genital complex slightly wider than long (about 1.06 times wider than long), longer (about 1.6 times) than abdomen; abdomen shorter, 2 - segmented, first segment about twice length of second; antenna (a 2) with small, blunt proximal process (arrowed) with marginal membrane (Fig. 19 B), claw sharply bent (Figs 19 B, C); post-antennal process (pap) sharply bent (Fig. 19 C); small rounded process (arrowed) between bases of antenna and post-antennal process (Fig. 19 C); maxillule with blunt thump-like dentiform posterior process (arrowed) (Fig. 19 D); sternal furca tines divergent, tips slightly incurved, with marginal membrane, small tubercles (arrowed) lateral to sternal furca box (Fig. 19 E) (cf. Fig. 121 F in Ho & Lin (2004 )); leg 1 first exopodal segment broad with convex posterior margin ornamented with spinules (arrowed) (Fig. 19 F), terminal seta 4 (4) distinctly longer than terminal spines (ts), but shorter than segment (Fig. 19 F), last exopodal segment vestige of posterior margin setae a small spinule (arrowed) (Fig. 19 G), terminal spines 1 – 3 with accessory processes (arrowed) (Fig. 20 A); leg 2 exopodal segments 1 and 2 with long distolateral spines (arrowed) lying obliquely across segments, last segment with small, outer spine (os) crossing in front of adjacent longer spine (Fig. 20 B); leg 2 second endopodal segment outer margin with denticles (arrowed) (Fig. 20 C); leg 3 first exopodal segment distolateral spine (ds) mostly straight, shorter than second segment (Fig. 20 D); leg 4 3 - segmented with I, IV spines respectively (Fig. 20 E), distolateral spine (dls) on first segment reaching about half length of lateral spine (I) on compound segment, lateral spine (I) on compound segment short, barely reaching base of terminal outer spine (II), first two outer terminal spines (II and III) slightly increasing in length from outer to inner, inner terminal spine (IV) slightly more than half length of outer terminal spines (II and III) (Fig. 20 E) (cf. Ho & Lin 2004; Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C599A3EFF6DF92FFB2FFD78.taxon	discussion	Remarks: The total body length of the current specimens is about 3.5 mm which is similar to previous reports (Ho & Lin 2004; Boxshall 2018). However, morphological differences were observed in the genital complex of the current specimens that is slightly wider than long whereas it was previously reported to be longer than wide (about 1.2 times) (Ho & Lin 2004; Boxshall 2018). The abdomen is more distinctly 2 - segmented with clear lateral indents (arrowed) in the current specimens (see Fig. 20 F). Leg 1 last exopodal segment terminal spines 1 – 3 all with accessory processes (see Fig. 20 A) rather than only spines 1 and 2 (Ho & Lin 2004; Boxshall 2018). Leg 2 last exopodal segment small distolateral seta crossing in front of adjacent spine (Fig. 20 B) similar to that illustrated by Ho & Lin (2004) in figure 122 C but different from Boxshall (2018) in figure 53 D. Leg 4 (see Fig. 20 E) with outer spines on last segment shorter than those of both previous illustrations (cf. Fig. 122 E in Ho & Lin (2004) and Fig. 53 F in Boxshall (2018 )). Even with mentioned differences the examined specimens still conform mostly to the characteristics of C. schlegeli as previously described (Ho & Lin 2004; Boxshall 2018) rather than any of the other species in the productus - group with only a vestige of a seta on the posterior margin of leg 1 last exopodal segment (i. e. C. arricolus Wilson; C. enormis Wilson; C. haemulonis Krøyer and C. turbidus Boxshall) instead of three pinnate setae. Caligus schlegeli has been reported from a variety of host species (Ho & Lin 2004; Boxshall 2018), but this is the first report from C. nufar and C. puniceus off the east coast of South Africa. Therefore, this report of C. cf. schlegeli from C. nufar and C. puniceus from South Africa are both new host and locality records.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C559A3CFF6DFCABFEC8F8CB.taxon	description	(Figs 21 A – 22 C) Host: Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus) (Pomatomidae: Scombriformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) Material examined: 6 ♀ + 3 ♂ Material collected: 12 ♀ + 3 ♂ from P. saltatrix Voucher material: 2 ♀ + 1 ♂ (SAMC-A 099208) from P. saltatrix deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 21 A) genital complex longer than wide, longer than abdomen (about 1.8 times); abdomen long, indistinctly 2 - segmented, genital complex and abdomen combined longer than cephalothorax (about 1.3 times); antenna (a 2) with blunt proximal process (arrowed) (Fig. 21 B), claw (cl) sharply bent (Fig. 21 B); post-antennal process (pap) curved (Fig. 21 B); small conical process (cp) between bases of antenna and post-antennal process (Fig. 21 B); maxillule with blunt dentiform posterior process (mpp) (Figs 21 C, D); sternal furca (sf) tines divergent, with slightly incurved tips (Figs 21 C, D); leg 1 first exopodal segment with spinules on posterior margin, last exopodal segment with terminal seta 4 (4) longer than terminal spines (ts), but shorter than segment, small, thin vestige of posterior margin setae (arrowed) (Fig. 21 E); leg 2 exopodal segments 1 and 2 with long distolateral spines (arrowed) lying obliquely across segments, last segment with small, straight outer spine (os) (Fig. 21 F); leg 2 first endopodal segment distolateral margin and second endopodal segment outer margin with denticles (arrowed) (Fig. 22 A); leg 3 first exopodal segment distolateral spine (ds) slightly curved, almost reaching distal margin of second segment (Fig. 22 B); leg 4 3 - segmented with I, IV spines (Fig. 22 C), distolateral spine (dls) on first segment reaching more than half length of lateral spine (I) on compound segment, outer two terminal spines (II and III) of almost equal length, about half length of inner terminal spine (IV) (cf. Boxshall & El-Rashidy 2009; Özak et al. 2010).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C559A3CFF6DFCABFEC8F8CB.taxon	discussion	Remarks: The examined specimens of C. cf. temnodontis has a total body length of about 4 mm, which falls within the size range reported (Boxshall & El-Rashidy 2009; Özak et al. 2010). Differences are found in the length of the genital complex and abdomen with the genital complex about 1.8 times the abdomen length in the current specimens while the abdomen was reported as about the same length as the genital complex (Özak et al. 2010), the claw of the antenna seems more strongly curved than illustrated by Boxshall and El-Rashidy (2009) in fig. 7 B and the proximal process seems shorter more similar to that illustrated by Özak et al. (2010) in fig. 1 D. The most confusing difference is the length of the vestigial seta on the posterior margin of the last segment of the exopod of leg 1. This seta is very thin and hair-like in the current specimens and difficult to observe (see Fig. 21 E), while those illustrated before are about half the length of seta 4 (cf. Fig. 8 F in Boxshall & El-Rashidy (2009) and Fig. 2 B in Özak et al. (2010 )). Caligus haemulonis is very similar to current specimens of C. temnodontis regarding the body proportions with the length of the genital complex and abdomen combined about 1.3 times longer than the cephalothorax, the strongly bent antenna claw, the presence of an additional process between the bases of the antenna and the post-antennal process, the presence of single vestigial seta on the posterior margin of the leg 1 last exopodal segment and the length of leg 4 spines (Boxshall & El-Rashidy 2009). The presence of a pinnate seta on the posterior margin of the last exopodal segment of leg 1 vs the presence a naked vestige of a seta is the character that distinguishes between C. temnodontis and C. haemulonis in the key provided for species of the productus - group (Boxshall & El-Rashidy 2009), but the presence of a difficult to observe thin, hair-like seta in the current specimens made this distinction very difficult and thus it is recommended that these two species be re-examined for the validity of both. Nevertheless, the current specimens are identified as C. cf. temnodontis based on most of the other distinguishing features as well as features described for the male and the host reports of C. temnodontis.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C579A3BFF6DF87AFCA4FF5C.taxon	description	Leg 4 3 - segmented with compound distal segment armed with 4 spines (I, III); leg 1 last exopodal segment with 3 posterior / medial pinnate setae; leg 2 distal exopodal segment with reduced / small distolateral spine; antenna with weak or well-developed proximal process (Ohtsuka et al. 2020).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C509A3BFF6DFEF2FAC2FD34.taxon	description	(Figs 23 A – C) Host: Sardinops sagax (Jenyns) (Alosidae: Clupeiformes) Locality: Off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) Material examined: 1 ♂ Material collected: 1 ♂ from Sardinops sagax Adult male (Fig. 23 A) genital complex elongate; abdomen 2 - segmented about same length as genital complex; sternal furca (sf) with straight tines close together (Fig. 23 B); leg 2 exopodal segment 2 with tiny vestige of distolateral spine (dls), last segment with small outer spine (os) (Fig. 23 C) (cf. Özak et al. 2024).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C509A3BFF6DFEF2FAC2FD34.taxon	discussion	Remarks: This is the first report of C. izmiriensis from a host, namely S. sagax, since it was previously only reported from plankton samples (Özak et al. 2024). Additionally, it is the first record off South Africa.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C509A39FF6DF8C0FB89FB4C.taxon	description	(Figs 24 A – F) Hosts: Aetobatus narinari (Euphrasen) (Aetobatidae: Myliobatiformes); Aetomylaeus bovinus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire) (Myliobatidae: Myliobatiformes); Rhinoptera javanica Müller & Henle (Rhinopteridae: Myliobatiformes); Rhina ancylostomus Bloch & Schneider (Rhinidae: Rhinopristiformes); Rostroraja alba (Lacepède) (Rajidae: Rajiformes); Squatina africana Regan (Squatinidae: Squatiniformes); Rhizoprionodon acutus (Rüppell) (Carcharinidae: Carchariniformes); Carcharias taurus Rafinesque (Carchariidae: Lamniformes). Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) Material examined: 5 ♀ + 5 ♂ Material collected: 8 ♀ + 17 ♂ from A. narinari; 6 ♀ + 1 ♂ from A. bovinus; 2 ♀ from R. javanica; 1 ♀ from R. ancylostomus; 2 ♀ from R. alba; 61 ♀ + 10 ♂ from S. africana; 3 ♀ + 4 ♂ from R. acutus; and 15 ♀ + 11 ♂ from C. taurus. Voucher material: 3 ♀ + 3 ♂ (SAMC-A 099209) from Mobula kuhlii (Müller & Henle) deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 24 A) genital complex almost as long as wide; abdomen 1 - segmented, slightly shorter than genital complex, longer than wide; antenna (a 2) with spinuous proximal process (arrowed) (Fig. 24 B); post-antennal process (pap) elongate, slender, slightly curved (Fig. 24 B); maxillule with dentiform posterior process (mpp) elongate (Fig. 24 B); sternal furca small with slender almost parallel blunt ending tines (Fig. 24 C); leg 1 last exopodal segment with 3 posterior pinnate setae, terminal seta 4 longer than terminal spines; leg 2 exopodal segments 1 and 2 with distolateral spines (arrowed) lying obliquely across ramus, last segment with distolateral spine (dls) curved across (also inset) blunt terminal outer spine (os) (Fig. 24 D); leg 4 3 - segmented with I, IV spines, lateral spine on compound segment (I) reaching beyond base but less than half length of distolateral spine (II) (Fig. 20 D) (cf. Pillai 1985; Tang pers. comm.).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C509A39FF6DF8C0FB89FB4C.taxon	discussion	Remarks: As indicated by Boxshall (2018) C. chrysophrysi is very similar to C. chiastos (cf. Ho & Lin 2004) especially regarding the structure of the outermost spines on the last exopodal segment of leg 2. However, the adult female of C. chrysophrysi is apparently smaller than that of C. chiastos (2.1 mm (Pillai 1985) vs 3.15 – 3.85 (Boxshall 2018 )). The examined specimens were mostly more than 3 mm in length (excluding the caudal rami setae), but the proximal process on the antenna seems to be slightly longer and the post-antennal process slightly more slender, less curved and longer as is the maxillule dentiform posterior process. The length of the lateral spine on the compound segment of leg 4 is reaching beyond the base of the distolateral spine but less than half its length similar to that in C. chiastos (Fig. 24 E, cf. Fig. 71 E in Ho & Lin (2004) and Fig. 24 F in Boxshall (2018 )). This species conforms to most of the characteristics distinguishing the C. bonito - group of species (Boxshall 2018) except for the leg 2 second endopodal segment outer margin that does not have large denticles, but rather a fringe of setules (arrowed) (Fig. 24 F). This report constitutes new host records for C. chrysophrysi which was originally recorded from Rhabdosargus sarba (Forsskål) (Sparidae: Acanthuriformes) (Pillai 1985) and thereafter from M. kuhlii (Müller & Henle) and Mobula alfredi (Krefft) (Mobulidae: Myliobatiformes) (Lebepe & Dippenaar 2013).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C529A39FF6DFAE2FB1DF87F.taxon	description	(Figs 25 A – D) Hosts: Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre); Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus); Euthynnus affinis (Cantor) (Scombridae: Scombriformes); Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus (Coryphaenidae: Carangiformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) Material examined: 5 ♀ + 3 ♂ Material collected: 7 ♀ + 4 ♂ from T. albacares; 26 ♀ + 34 ♂ from K. pelamis; 6 ♀ + 10 ♂ from E. affinis; and 38 ♀ + 34 ♂ from C. hippurus Voucher material: 2 ♀ + 2 ♂ (SAMC-A 099210) from E. affinis deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 25 A) genital complex longer than wide, posterolateral corners slightly lobate; abdomen 3 - segmented, shorter than genital complex; antenna (a 2) with short, rounded proximal process (arrowed); post-antennal process absent (Fig. 25 B); maxillule with dentiform posterior process (mpp) short, robust (Fig. 25 B); sternal furca (sf) small with short, blunt ending, divergent tines with marginal flanges (Fig. 25 B); leg 1 last exopodal segment with 3 posterior pinnate setae, terminal spines 2 and 3 robust with serrated margins (arrowed) and accessory processes (Fig. 25 C, cf. Fig. 81 A in Ho & Lin (2004 )); leg 4 3 - segmented with I, I, III spines (arrowed) respectively (Fig. 25 D) (cf. Cressey & Cressey 1980; Ho & Lin 2004).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C529A39FF6DFAE2FB1DF87F.taxon	discussion	Remarks: The structure of leg 4 (with I, I, III spines) is similar to those of the C. diaphanus - group, but none of the remaining characteristics conform to those of the group. The report includes two new host records i. e. T. albacares and C. hippurus off South Africa.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C539A06FF6DFA6CFC2CFEEC.taxon	description	(Figs 26 A – F) Hosts: Rhinoptera javanica Müller & Henle (Rhinopteridae: Myliobatiformes); Aetobatus narinari (Euphrasen) (Aetobatidae: Myliobatiformes); Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus) (Lamnidae: Lamniformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) Material examined: 5 ♀ Material collected: 6 ♀ from R. javanica; 1 ♀ from A. narinari; and 1 ♀ from C. carcharias Voucher material: 2 ♀ (SAMC-A 099211) from R. javanica deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 26 A) genital complex slightly longer than wide; abdomen 1 - segmented, longer than genital complex; antenna (a 2) without proximal process, claw strongly curved; post-antennal process (pap) with slender, strongly curved tine (Figs 26 B, C) and small protuberance (arrowed) at base (Fig. 26 C); maxillule with dentiform posterior process (mpp) long, slender, slightly curved outwards (Figs 26 B, C); sternal furca (sf) with long slender, slightly divergent tines (Fig. 26 B); leg 1 last exopodal segment with 3 posterior pinnate setae (ps), terminal seta 4 (4) shorter than terminal spines (ts) 2 – 3 (Fig. 26 D); leg 3 exopodal segment 1 distolateral spine (ds) straight, reaching beyond articulation between segments 2 and 3 (Fig. 26 E); leg 4 long, almost reaching caudal rami (Fig. 26 A), 3 - segmented with I, III spines (arrowed) respectively, ornamented with numerous surface sensillae (s), terminal spines short (almost equal lengths), modified pecten on distomedial margin (Fig. 26 F) (cf. Pillai 1985; Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C539A06FF6DFA6CFC2CFEEC.taxon	discussion	Remarks: Caligus elasmobranchi shares the structure of leg 4 (I, III spines), the pinnate setae on leg 1 last exopod segment and the 1 - segmented abdomen with the C. macarovi - group, but not the remaining features. The body length of about 7 mm agrees with those previously reported (Pillai 1985; Boxshall 2018) as well as the very long legs 4. The small protuberance at the base of the post-antennal process was illustrated previously (see Fig. 88 C in Pillai (1985) and Fig. 27 B in Boxshall (2018 )) although not mentioned in the descriptions. This represents a new report from South African waters while R. javanica, A. narinari and C. carcharias constitute new host reports. Additionally, this is the first report from Lamniformes since all previous reports were from Myliobatiformes and Rhinopristiformes (Pillai 1985; Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C6E9A04FF6DFF7EFC69FEC8.taxon	description	(Figs 27 A – 28 B) Host: Carcharias taurus Rafinesque (Carchariidae: Lamniformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) Material examined: 6 ♀ + 3 ♂ Material collected: 32 ♀ + 15 ♂ from C. taurus Voucher material: 3 ♀ + 3 ♂ (SAMC-A 099212) from C. taurus deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 27 A) frontal plates with small, inconspicuous lunules; genital complex about as long as wide; abdomen small, 1 - segmented; antenna (a 2) with small, tapering proximal process (arrowed), claw slender with curved tip (Fig. 27 B); post-antennal process (pap) with tapering, slightly curved tine with marginal flange (Figs 27 B, 28 B); maxillule with dentiform posterior process (mpp) tapering, straight (Figs 27 B, C); sternal furca (sf) with slightly divergent, blunt-ended tines (Fig. 27 C); leg 1 last exopodal segment with 3 posterior pinnate setae (ps), terminal seta 4 (4) shorter than terminal spines 2 – 3, spine 3 (ts 3) shorter than spine 2 (ts 2) (Fig. 27 D); leg 2 exopod segment 1 distolateral spine (arrowed) obliquely over surface of ramus, segment 2 distolateral spine (arrowed) aligned closer to longitudinal axis of ramus (Fig. 27 E); leg 3 exopodal segment 1 distolateral spine (ds) large, tapering (Fig. 27 F); leg 4 3 - segmented with I, III spines, medial terminal spine (III) almost 3 x longer than lateral terminal spines (II, I) (Fig. 28 A) (cf. Pillai 1985; Boxshall 2018).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C6E9A04FF6DFF7EFC69FEC8.taxon	discussion	Remarks: This species shares most of the distinguishing characteristics with the C. macarovi - group i. e. leg 4 structure (I, III spines), leg 1 last exopodal segment with 3 pinnate posterior setae, antenna with a proximal process, but the terminal seta 4 on the last exopodal segment of leg 1 is shorter rather than markedly longer than terminal spines 1 – 3. The total length of the examined specimens (around 6.2 mm) falls between that reported by Boxshall (2018) (i. e. 8.07 mm) and that reported by Pillai (1985) (i. e. 5.3 mm). Additionally, the proximal process on the first segment of the antenna seems smaller and less sharply pointed than those illustrated by Pillai (1985) and Boxshall (2018) (cf. Fig. 94 B in Pillai (1985) and Fig. 29 B in Boxshall (2018 )) while the post-antennal process (pap) tine has a marginal flange (see Fig. 28 B) in the examined specimens. Furthermore, the tines of the sternal furca in the examined specimens are not as widely apart as those illustrated by Pillai (1985) and Boxshall (2018) (cf. Fig. 94 D in Pillai (1985) and Fig. 29 C in Boxshall (2018 )). This species has been reported before off South Africa, collected from the same host species, as Lepeophtheirus natalensis Kensley & Grindley (Dippenaar 2004). However, L. natalensis was synonymized with C. furcisetifer (see Hayes et al. 2021) and reported as such (Dippenaar 2024). Included in the examined specimens are many more specimens collected after the original reports (Dippenaar & Jordaan 2007) and thus it is important to note that C. furcisetifer is often encountered on C. taurus in South African waters.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C6F9A04FF6DFE7BFDF8F9A4.taxon	description	(Figs 29 A – 30 C) Hosts: Thyrsites atun (Euphrasen) (Gempylidae: Scombriformes); Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus) (Scombridae: Scombriformes) Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean) — K. pelamis; off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) — T. atun Material examined: 7 ♀ Material collected: 6 ♀ from T. atun; and 1 ♀ from K. pelamis Voucher material: 2 ♀ (SAMC-A 099213) from T. atun deposited in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. Adult female (Fig. 29 A) genital complex about 1.5 times longer than wide, posterolateral corners lobate; abdomen small, 1 - segmented; antenna (a 2) with tapering proximal process (arrowed), claw strongly curved (Fig. 29 B); post-antennal process (pap) tine slightly curved with outer flange (Fig. 29 B); maxillule with dentiform posterior process (mpp) almost straight with blunt tip surrounded by marginal flange (Fig. 29 C); sternal furca with divergent, blunt-ended tines slightly curved inwards distally, surrounded by marginal flange (Fig. 29 D); leg 1 last exopodal segment with 3 posterior pinnate setae (ps), terminal seta 4 (4) longer than terminal spines 1 – 3, shorter than segment (Fig. 29 E); leg 2 exopod segment 1 and 2 distolateral spines (arrowed) obliquely over surface of ramus (Fig. 29 F), endopodal segments 1 and 2 with setules (arrowed) along outer margins (Fig. 30 A); leg 3 exopodal segment 1 distolateral spine (ds) almost straight, shorter than segment 2 (Fig. 30 B); leg 4 3 - segmented with I, IV spines, medial terminal spine (IV) about twice as long as distolateral spine (II) (Fig. 30 C) (cf. Rodrigues et al. 2018; Özak pers. comm.).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C6F9A04FF6DFE7BFDF8F9A4.taxon	discussion	Remarks: This species shares features with the C. bonito - group of species, but with setules on the outer margins of the leg 2 second segment rather than large denticles or spinules and with the proximal process on the antenna well-developed. The reported body length of C. mulli is about 2.72 mm (Rodrigues et al. 2018) while the current examined specimens are larger and about 4.2 mm. Additionally, the post-antennal process tine, maxillule dentiform posterior process and the sternal furca tines are all surrounded by conspicuous marginal flanges while the sternal furca tines are slightly more divergent with the tips less incurving. Furthermore, the spine on the first exopodal segment of leg 3 is slightly curved, rather than straight. Caligus mulli was described from Mullus spp. (Mullidae: Mulliformes) while the current specimens were collected from hosts belonging to Scombriformes. Thus, this constitutes new host records for the species. Additionally, this is also the first record off South Africa.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C6F9A01FF6DF997FC15FE94.taxon	description	(Figs 31 A – 32 E) Host: Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus (Coryphaenidae: Carangiformes) Locality: Off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) Material examined: 1 ♀ Material collected: 1 ♀ from C. hippurus Adult female (Fig. 31 A) cephalothorax more than half of total length; genital complex slightly longer than wide, posterolateral corners lobate; abdomen small, 1 - segmented, about ⅓ length of genital complex; antenna (a 2) with tapering proximal process (arrowed), claw strongly curved (Figs 31 B, C); post-antennal process (pap) tine weakly curved, blunt-ending (Figs 31 B, C); maxillule with dentiform posterior process (mpp) slightly curved, blunt tip surrounded by marginal flange (Figs 31 B, C, D); sternal furca (sf) with divergent, blunt-ended tines slightly curved inwards distally, surrounded by marginal flange (Fig. 31 E); leg 1 last exopodal segment with 3 posterior pinnate setae (ps), terminal seta 4 (4) longer than terminal spines 1 – 3 (Figs 31 F, 32 A), spine 2 (t 2) and 3 (t 3) with accessory processes (Fig. 32 A); leg 2 exopodal segment 1 and 2 distolateral spines (arrowed) lying obliquely over surface of ramus (Fig. 32 B), endopodal segments with setules (arrowed) along outer margins (Fig. 32 C); leg 3 exopodal segment 1 distolateral spine (ds) curved, slightly shorter than segment 2 (Fig. 32 D); leg 4 3 - segmented with I, IV spines, medial terminal spine (IV) about twice as long as distolateral spine (II) (Fig. 32 E).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C6F9A01FF6DF997FC15FE94.taxon	discussion	Remarks: This specimen is slightly smaller (3.6 mm) than C. mulli reported before (4.2 mm) with the genital complex of this specimen about 1.1 mm long and slightly longer than wide while that of C. mulli is about 1.7 mm long and about 1.5 times longer than wide. The post-antennal process tine is not conspicuously surrounded by a marginal flange (see Fig. 31 C) while in C. mulli it is (see Fig. 29 B). Leg 2 exopod distolateral spines on the first and second segments are lying slightly obliquely over the surface of the rami with the spine on the first segment almost reaching the middle of the last segment and the spine on the second segment also reaching about the middle of the last segment (see Fig. 32 B) while in C. mulli the spines are lying obliquely over the surface of the rami with the spine on the first segment barely reaching into the next segment (see Fig. 29 F). Leg 3 first exopodal segment distolateral spine in the current specimen is curved, almost reaching the articulation between segments 2 and 3 (see Fig. 32 D) while in C. mulli it is less curved and slightly shorter (see Fig. 30 B). Spines on leg 4 are very similar with the lateral spines in the current specimen maybe slightly longer (see Fig. 32 E) than those in C. mulli (see Fig. 30 C). Caligus sp. 2 does not fall within one of the eight established Caligus groups. Comparing it with the remaining species, it does not seem like any of the described species has the combined suit of features. Firstly, the posterolateral lobes of the genital complex together with the small abdomen are features not often encountered. Secondly, the combined features of legs 1 – 4 are also rarely encountered amongst the compared species. The shape of the genital complex almost resembles that of C. deformis Brian (Özak pers. comm.) as do the structure of leg 4, but the body proportions are different and the original description somewhat vague (Brian 1924). Therefore, this may be a new species, but with only one available specimen it will remain as Caligus sp.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C649A0BFF6DFF30FAD0FE00.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: pub: FAE 3 CA 10 - 9 DC 4 - 45 E 0 - 819 E- 6 F 3 A 02 CE 7 F 20 (Figs 33 A – 35 G)	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C649A0BFF6DFF30FAD0FE00.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: Holotype ♀ (SAMC-A 099214) from Thyrsites atun (Euphrasen) (Gempylidae: Scombriformes) caught off the west coast of South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) during January 2012. Other material examined: 2 ♀ from the same host.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C649A0BFF6DFF30FAD0FE00.taxon	description	Description of adult female: Body length from the tip of the cephalothorax to the tip of the caudal rami, excluding caudal setae 5.3 mm (5.1 – 5.5 mm). Cephalothoracic shield (Fig. 33 A) suborbicular (length 2.6 mm (2.5 – 2.6 mm), width 2.5 mm (2.5 mm )); frontal plates with lunules. Fourth leg-bearing somite wider than long. Genital complex quadrangular (length 1.6 mm, width 1.4 mm) with slightly pointed posterolateral corners. Abdomen indistinctly 2 - segmented (Fig. 33 A) (length 0.8 mm, width 0.6 mm) about half length of genital complex, bearing caudal rami (Fig. 34 A) (length 0.1 mm) armed with 6 setae (4 longer pinnate, 2 small naked) and setules along medial margin. Antennule (Fig. 33 B) 2 - segmented, basal segment broad, with 23 setae of different sizes, distal segment with 14 setae (8 long (1 at about mid-length), 5 short). Antenna (Figs 33 C, 35 A) 3 - segmented, proximal segment with small blunt-ending process (arrowed in Fig. 35 A), second segment quadrangular, distal segment claw with strongly curved tip, bearing 2 spiniform setae. Post-antennal process (Figs 33 D, 35 A, B) slightly curved, base with small protuberance (arrowed in Fig. 35 B) on anterior margin and 2 multisensillate papillae posteriorly, single multisensillate papilla adjacent to the base. Maxillule (Figs 33 E, 35 A, C) posterior dentiform process (mpp in Fig. 35 A) slightly curved, blunt ending, with small additional tine medially (arrowed in Fig. 35 C), anterior palp bearing 3 small setae. Mandible (Fig. 33 F) with 14 equal sized teeth. Maxilla (Figs 33 G, 35 A) with a broader lacertus (syncoxa), branchium (basis) slender, bearing membraneous flabellum, extending to the base of calamus, calamus longer than canna. Maxilliped (Figs 33 H, 35 A) subchelate, corpus broad (without ornamentation on myxal area), subchela with ap-ical claw, armed with slender seta proximally. Sternal furca (Figs 33 I, 35 A) with divergent blunt tines, tips slightly curved inwards. Leg 1 (Fig. 33 J) protopod with outer and inner pinnate setae. Endopod reduced papilla. Exopod 2 - segmented; proximal segment with small distolateral spine with pecten at base, medial row of setules and range of small denticles along lateral margin; distal segment with 3 posterior pinnate setae (ps in Fig. 35 D) increasing in length from basal seta to distal seta, apically bearing 3 spines, lateral terminal spine (t 1 in Fig. 35 D) slightly longer than middle spines (t 2 and t 3 in Fig. 35 D) both armed with accessory processes and medial terminal seta 4 (4 in Fig. 35 D) scarcely pinnate, slightly longer than terminal spines 2 and 3. Leg 2 (Fig. 34 B) biramous; protopod with distolateral small naked seta and medial pinnate seta; 3 - segmented. Exopod first and second segments both with distolateral spine (arrowed in Figs 35 E, F) with serrated margins (Fig. 35 F) and pecten at base and distomedial pinnate setae, both spines lying obliquely across ramus, reaching last segment; distal segment with 1 small outer spine (os in Fig. 35 F) lying obliquely across adjacent spine, 1 longer spine with serrated margins, 1 spine with serrated outer margin and setules on inner margin and 5 pinnate setae increasing in length medially. Endopod proximal segment with denticulated lateral margin (d in Figs 35 E, F) and medial pinnate seta; second segment lateral margin with fine setules (s in Fig. 35 E) and distomedially with 2 pinnate setae; distal segment with 6 pinnate setae. Leg 3 (Fig. 34 C) biramous, protopod flattened connected to plate-like intercoxal sclerite to form apron, ornamented with marginal membrane posteriorly and along lateral margin anterior to exopod, medial and lateral pinnate setae; apron with raised bifid cuticular rib and patch of small denticles. Exopod first segment with large, recurved hook midway with a prominent accessory process (arrowed in Fig. 35 G); second segment with lateral fringe of setules, distolateral small spine and distomedial pinnate seta; distal segment with lateral fringe of setules, 3 distolateral spines increasing in length from outermost to innermost and 4 pinnate setae increasing in length medially. Endopod 2 - segmented proximal segment with medial pinnate seta; second segment with 6 pinnate setae, increasing in length from outermost to innermost and lateral fringe of setules. Leg 4 (Figs 34 D, 35 H) uniramous, 3 - segmented exopod with spine formula I, I, III, respectively each with pecten at base. Leg 5 (Fig. 34 E) vestigial, anterior lobe with 1 small pinnate seta, posterior lobe with 3 pinnate setae. Attachment site: On gill filaments.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C649A0BFF6DFF30FAD0FE00.taxon	etymology	Etymology: The species is named in honour of NK Pillai who redescribed C. cornutus.	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
5E1F87E26C649A0BFF6DFF30FAD0FE00.taxon	discussion	Remarks: This species belongs to the Caligus - confusus group due to the presence of a raised bifid cuticular rib and the array of denticles on the apron of leg 3 (see Fig. 34 C); a large, recurved hook on the first exopodal segment of leg 3 (see Figs 34 C, 35 G) as well as an accessory tine on the posterior dentiform maxillary process (see Fig. 33 E, arrowed in Fig. 35 C) and the protuberance on the post-antennal process (see Fig. 33 D, arrowed in Fig. 35 B) (Boxshall 2018). The accessory tine on the maxillule dentiform process of C. pillaii n. sp. is very small (see Fig. 35 C) while the protuberance on the post-antennal process is on the anterior margin (see Fig. 35 B) similar to those of C. chorinemi Krøyer, C. equulae Ho & Lin (both sides), and C. abigaila Boxshall. Of all the species in the C. confusus - group, C. pillaii n. sp. is easily distinguished by the accessory process on the large, recurved hook (see Fig. 35 G) on the first segment of the exopod of leg 3. The presence of two clawlike spines on the first exopodal segment of leg 3 is one of the distinguishing features of Midias spp. (Dojiri & Ho 2013) but, in C. pillaii n. sp. this seems more like an accessory process on the distolateral spine / recurved hook (Fig. 35 G) than a second claw (cf. Fig. 111 c in Dojiri & Ho (2013 )). The current specimens are very similar to that described and illustrated by Pillai (1985) as C. cornutus Heegaard, collected from Sphyraena jello Cuvier and S. obtusata Cuvier (Carangiformes: Sphyraenidae) off India. However, the holotype male of C. cornutus was synonymized with C. lobodes (Wilson) (Boxshall & Bernot 2023) and therefore the redescription of the female of C. cornutus by Pillai (1985) is thus by implication considered to be C. lobodes (Bernot, Boxshall pers. comm.). Thus, C. pillaii n. sp. is described as a new species. Caligus pillaii n. sp. is the sixth Caligus species (C. coryphaenae, C. dakari van Beneden, C. mulli, C. pelamydis and C. zei Norman & Scott) reported from T. atun off South Africa (Dippenaar 2004; Dippenaar 2024).	en	Dippenaar, Susan M., Sebone, Makwena M. (2025): Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa 5686 (2): 151-197, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.2.1
