Socotradelphys, 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 : 653

Socotradelphys gen. nov.

Diagnosis. Body maggot-shaped, consisting of unsegmentedprosomeandvestigialurosome.Bodysurface ornamented with sparsely scattered, minute spinules. Urosome unsegmented, positioned posterodorsally on prosome, bilobed posteriorly, with deep posteromedial incision. Caudal rami lobate, lacking caudal setae. Cephalosome with large, bulbous ventrolateral processes positioned in same plane as labrum.Antenna rudimentary, but segmented and tipped with claw; positioned between bases of labrum and ventrolateral process. Labrum large, conical. Mouthparts absent. Leg 1 as globular lobe, located posterior to labrum. Legs 2–5 absent.

Type species. Socotradelphys unipedata gen. et sp. nov. by original designation.

Etymology. The generic name Socotradelphys is derived from “ Socotra Island ”, Yemen, the type locality of thetype species, and - delphys. Gender feminine.

Remarks. Boxshall & Marchenkov (2007) analysed the phylogenetic relationships between five highly transformed genera within the Notodelphyidae and referred to them as the Brementia -group. These genera are Brementia Chatton & Harant, 1915 , Achelidelphys Lafargue & Laubier, 1977 , Anoplodelphys Lafargue & Laubier, 1978 , Paranoplodelphys Boxshall & Marchenkov, 2007 , and Pholeterides . Socotradelphys gen. nov. certainly belongs to this group and is characterised by its extremely simplified body structure. It lacks the rostrum, antennules, mouthparts, and legs 2–4. Within the group, Socotradelphys gen. nov. appears to be more closely related to Anoplodelphys than to the other genera, because it carries a pair of ventrolateral processes on the cephalosome. However, all known speciesof Anoplodelphys have a rostrum and paired antennules, plus at least two pairs of biramous legs (legs 1 and 2) so the lack of a rostrum and antennules, and the possession of a uniramous leg 1 only, serves to distinguish the new genus from Anoplodelphys .