Mothocya, Costa

Ravichandran, S., Vigneshwaran, P. & Rameshkumar, G., 2019, A taxonomic review of the fish parasitic isopod family Cymothoidae Leach, 1818 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cymothooidea) of India, Zootaxa 4622 (1), pp. 1-99 : 36

Key to the Indian species of Mothocya

1. Body widest at pereonites 4 and 5 scarcely twisted; coxae on pereonite 7 less produced laterally....................... 2

- Body widest at pereonites 5 and 6 weakly twisted to one side; coxae on pereonite 7 largely produced (as long as wide)..... 3

2. Pleonite 5 lesser than the other pleonites; pleotelson subtruncate and wide.............. Mothocya karobran ( Bruce, 1986)

- Pleonite 5 wider than the other pleonites; pleotelson large (as wide or wider than pleon) and evenly rounded................................................................................... Mothocya plagulophora ( Haller, 1880)

3. Pleopods not extending posterior margin of pleotelson; uropod extending beyond posterior margin of pleotelson..................................................................... Mothocya melanosticta ( Schiöedte & Meinert, 1884)

- Pleopods extending posterior margin of pleotelson; uropod extending beyond posterior margin of pleotelson............. 4

4. Coxae expressed laterally, but less wide; Pereopod 7 basis without carinae.............. Mothocya renardi ( Bleeker, 1857)

- Coxae strongly expressed laterally, very wide; Pereopod 7 basis with carinae.............. Mothocya collettei Bruce, 1986