Tauroceratus, George, 2021

George, Kai Horst, 2021, Four new genera of the Ceratonotus group (Copepoda, Harpacticoida), including the description of two new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 774, pp. 1-41 : 25

Tauroceratus gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7A9A1E20-76EB-4AD2-9795-8C09DFD9854B

Type species

Tauroceratus tauroides (George, 2006) gen. et comb. nov. (by designation). Ceratonotus tauroides George, 2006: 89–100 , figs 1–9.

Additional species

Tauroceratus concavus (Conroy-Dalton, 2003) gen. et comb. nov.

Ceratonotus concavus Conroy-Dalton, 2003a: 79–82 , figs 7–8.

Tauroceratus steiningeri (George, 2006) gen. et comb. nov.

Ceratonotus steiningeri George, 2006b: 99–107 , figs 10–15.

Tauroceratus vareschii (George, 2006) gen. et comb. nov.

Ceratonotus vareschii George, 2006b: 107–113 , figs 16–20.

Etymology

The genus name Tauroceratus is a combination of the Greek ταύρος [távros], meaning ‘bull’, and the Greek κέρας [kéras], meaning ’horn’, referring to the presence of cephalothoracic frontal horns (FH) in the assigned species. Gender: masculine.

Diagnosis

Member of Cletodidae T. Scott, 1904 , Cletodinae T. Scott, 1904 , and the Ceratonotus group sensu Conroy-Dalton (2001). Body cylindrical, tapering slightly posteriorly, without clear demarcation between pro- and urosoma. Sexual dimorphism in A1, P3, P5, and P6; females with GDS due to fusion of last (P6-bearing) thoracic and first abdominal (genital) somites. Cphth about ⅓ of total body length, with some sensilla laterally and dorsally; cephalic front produced into a massive peak. Cphth frontally with pair of frontal horns (FH) that carry the rostral setae, and dentate frontolateral horns (FLH); posteriorly with dendroid cephalothoracic laterodorsal processes (CLDPp). Cephalothoracic anterior lateroventral processes (CLVPa) and cephalothoracic posterior lateroventral processes (CLVPp) developed. Rostrum absent, original position indicated by tube pore. P2–P5-bearing pedigerous somites dorsally with dendroid cuticular processes (DP1–DP4). Last pedigerous somite (= anterior half of female GDS) with sensilla on posterior margin that arise from tubercles dorsally (DT1) and small conical sensillate tubercles (LT1) laterally (not confirmed for T. tauroides gen. et comb. nov.). First abdominal somite (i.e., posterior half of female GDS) dorsally with dendroid DP5, second abdominal somite dorsally with conical DP6, and laterally with small conical lateral sensillate tubercles (LT2) (not confirmed for T. steiningeri gen. et comb. nov.). Telson broader than long, trapezoidal in dorsal view, anal operculum flanked by 2 sensilla, posterior margin bare or with row of spinules. Furcal rami long and slender, diverging, with 7 setae. Female A1 slender, 3-segmented, 5–6-segmented and (sub)chirocer in male. A2 without exopod, allobasis with 1 abexopodal seta on endopodal half. Intercoxal sclerites of P1– P4 slender, bow-like; P1 with transversely elongated basis and 2-segmented exo- and endopod; exp-2 longer than exp-1, with 1 outer and 1 subapical bipinnate spine and 3 geniculated apical setae. P2–P4 with transversely elongated bases, 3-segmented exopods and 2-segmented endopods except male P3 endopod, which is 3-segmented. Exp-1 with 1 outer bipinnate spine, without inner seta; exp-2 with 1 bipinnate outer spine and 1 biplumose inner seta, exp-3 with 2 bipinnate outer spines, 2 biplumose apical and 1 (P2, P4) or 2 (P3) biplumose inner setae. Enp-1 small and bare, enp-2 elongate, with 1 biplumose apical seta in P2 and 1–2 apical elements in P3 (female) and P4; male P3 enp-1 as in female, enp-2 elongate and bearing cuspidate apophysis on inner apical margin; enp-3 nearly as small as enp-1, with 1–2 setae. P5 with distinct exopod in both sexes, baseoendopod smaller than exopod, with outer seta arising from small projection; endopodal lobe completely absorbed into basis, with 2 setae in the female and 1 seta in the male. Exopod apically with 3 bipinnate setae.