Leaniricola M’Intosh, 1885

Huys, Rony, 2016, Enigmas from the past: M’Intosh’s (1885) annelidicolous copepods from the voyage of H. M. S. Challenger, Zootaxa 4174 (1), pp. 355-385 : 357

Leaniricola M’Intosh, 1885

Generic diagnosis (based on ♀ only). Body rounded in dorsal aspect, consisting of bulbous prosome and slender, ventrally reflexed urosome. Cephalosome separated from remainder of prosome by bilateral constriction. Rostrum offset, fused at base. Somites bearing legs 1–4 fused. Urosome indistinctly 6-segmented; genital and first abdominal somites completely separated; genital apertures paired, located dorsolaterally, without armature; abdominal somites 3–4 fused ventrally; anal somite with unarmed operculum. Caudal ramus elongate, with ventrally recurved lobate outgrowth covered by spinulose pads and five naked setae (setae I and VII absent).

Antennule slender, 6-segmented; segments 1–3 with multipinnate elements. Antenna 4-segmented, comprising coxobasis and 3-segmented endopod; enp-2 with spinulose pad, two setae and one recurved spine; enp-3 small, with six setae, three of which geniculate. Labrum with large, anteriorly directed cylindrical extension forming anterior face of oral cone, and paired lateral folds embracing proximal halves of mandibular gnathobases. Paragnaths fused, forming labium at base of posterior face of oral cone. Mandible without palp; gnathobase very large, entering oral cone via slit between labrum and labium; with strongly chitinized, cylindrical extensions, produced distally into massive, three-dimensionally expanded anchors. Maxillule small, 1-segmented; with three apical setae. Maxilla 2-segmented, comprising syncoxa and allobasis; syncoxa unarmed, with large spinulose pad; allobasis with one strong apical claw and one small accessory element. Maxilliped 3-segmented, comprising syncoxa, basis and endopod; syncoxa robust; basis unarmed, with spinulose pad; endopod represented by strong elongate claw and one vestigial accessory element.

Legs 1–2 biramous, with 2-segmented rami; endopod medially directed; bases with outer seta and spinulose pad(s) on anterior surface; exp-1 with outer spine; exp-2 with seven (leg 1) or six (leg 2) elements; enp-1 with inner seta; enp-2 with five spines/setae. Leg 3 uniramous, 2-segmented, comprising undivided protopod and exopod; protopod with outer basal seta; exopod unisetose. Leg 4 vestigial, represented by ovoid segment with spinulose pad. Leg 5 absent.

Type and only species. Leaniricola rotundata M’Intosh, 1885 (by original designation).