Scaridelphys, Kim & Boxshall, 2020

Kim, Il-Hoi & Boxshall, Geoff A., 2020, Untold diversity: the astonishing species richness of the Notodelphyidae (Copepoda: Cyclopoida), a family of symbiotic copepods associated with ascidians (Tunicata), Megataxa 4 (1), pp. 1-6 : 650

Scaridelphys gen. nov.

Diagnosis. Body elongate, cylindrical, vermiform, consisting of prosome and rudimentary free abdomen. Body surface covered with minute spinules or papillae. Prosome unsegmented or with traces of suture lines. Abdomen small, unsegmented, obscurely articulated from prosome. Caudal rami and caudal setae absent. Antennule globular or lobate. Antenna absent. Labrum present. Mandible represented by small lobe positioned lateral to labrum. Other mouthparts absent. Legs absent.

Type species. Scaridelphys papillata gen. et sp. nov. by original designation.

Other included species. Scaridelphys deplanata gen. etsp. nov.

Etymology. The name is derived from the Greek scari (=a little worm) and - delphys, alluding to the wormlike body form of the new genus. Gender feminine.

Remarks. Within the Notodelphyidae , Scaridelphys gen. nov. has the most simplified body. The new genus may be compared with Haplostatus in the extreme reduction of the mouthparts but further reductions occur in the new genus, i.e., it lacks the rostrum and antenna and has a small, unsegmented urosome.