Alupa, Kim & Boxshall, 2021

Kim, Il-Hoi & Boxshall, Geoff A., 2021, Copepods associated with Ascidian hosts (Tunicata): Intramolgidae and Lichomolgidae, with descriptions of four new genera and 13 new species, Zootaxa 5013 (1), pp. 1-75 : 60-61

Alupa gen. nov.

Diagnosis (female). Lichomolgidae . Body cyclopiform. Urosome 5-segmented. Caudal ramus with 6 setae. Rostrum well-developed. Antennule 7-segmented, with armature formula 4, 13, 6, 3, 4+aesthetasc, 2+aesthetasc, and 7+aesthetasc. Antenna 4-segmented; armature formula 1, 1, 4, and 3+4 claws; 4 terminal claws small, annulated. Labrum with broad median incision separating narrow posterolateral lobes; transverse row of spinules present on posteromedial margin. Mandible slender with elongate distal lash. Maxillule with 1 inner margin seta and 2 distal spines. Maxilla consisting of syncoxa and basis; syncoxa unarmed; basis with elongate, spinulose distal lash plus large, spinulose inner seta and small anterior seta. Maxilliped 3-segmented; first segment unarmed; second segment with 2 small setae; third segment small, claw-like, with 2 small setiform elements proximally. Legs 1-3 with 3- segmented rami. Leg 4 with 3-segmented exopod and small, 2-segmented endopod; proximal segment of endopod unarmed; distal segment armed with 1 naked seta distally. Armature formula for legs 1-4 as follows:

Coxa Basis Exopod Endopod

Leg 1: 0-1 1-0 I-0; I-1; III, I, 4 0-1; 0-1; I, 1, 4

Leg 2: 0-1 1-0 I-0; I-1; III, I, 5 0-1; 0-2; I, II, 3

Leg 3: 0-1 1-0 I-0; I-1; III, I, 5 0-1; 0-2; I, II, 2

Leg 4: 0-1 1-0 I-0; I-1; II, I, 5 0-0; 0, 1, 0

Leg 5 consisting of dorsolateral seta on fifth pedigerous somite and 1-segmented free exopod armed with 2 setae distally. Leg 6 represented by 2 seta and 1 small denticle on genital operculum.

Type species. Alupa gem ẚnata gen. et sp. nov. by original designation.

Etymology. The generic name is an anagram of “ Palau ”, the type locality of the type species. Gender feminine.

Remarks. In five genera of Lichomolgidae ( Botulosoma , aebruma, Gelastomolgus , maraphẚloconcha, and Spheromolgus gen. nov.) the compound distal segment of the 2-segmented endopod of leg 4 is armed with a single setation element (spine or seta), as in the new genus. But all these other genera also carry an inner seta on the proximal segment of the endopod. The type species of Alupa gen. nov. cannot be accommodated in any of these five genera due to the lack of the inner seta on the proximal endopodal segment of leg 4.