Notodelphys prasina Thorell, 1859

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 : 33

Notodelphys prasina Thorell, 1859

( Fig. 17 )

Material examined. 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂ (MNHN-IU-2017-2160) and 1 dissected ♀ (figured) from Polycarpa pomaria (Savigny, 1816) , MEDITS 2016, Stn M16-2 (43°20.98 Ń, 4°19.64 É), depth 32–33m, 31 May 2016.

Diagnostic characters of female. Body ( Fig. 17A ) small, 1.61 mm long. Abdominal somites much shorter than wide. Caudal ramus ( Fig. 17B ) shorter than wide (44×48 μm) and shorter than anal somite (52×126 μm); all caudal setae positioned distally.

Rostrum ( Fig. 17C ) taperingtowardsangular tip. Antennule 15-segmented. Two exopodal setae of antenna ( Fig. 17D ) subequalin length.

Mandibular endopod with 4 and 9 setae on first and second segments, respectively. Endopod of maxillule 2-segmented with 2 and 3 setae on first and second segments, respectively. Maxilla with 3 setae on first endite of syncoxa and with 3 setae on terminal segment of endopod. Maxilliped armedwith 10, 1, and 3 setae on first to third segments, respectively.

Leg 5 ( Fig. 17E ) protopod broad, ornamented with about 10 spinules along inner margin and prominent outer process with subdistal tooth on inner margin; exopodal segment 15×16 μm, subcircular, shorter than outer process of protopod, and armedwith 1 spineand 1 seta.

Remarks. This distinctive species is unique in the genus in having short caudal rami. They are shorter than wide in N. prasina whereas in all other known species of Notodelphys the caudal rami are at least 1.6 times longer than wide. This species has a similar distribution to the preceeding species, extending from Scandinavia, alongthe coast of northwestern Europe and into the Mediterranean ( Illg, 1958; Illg & Dudley, 1961).

Figures

FIGURE 17. Notodelphys prasina Thorell, 1859, female. A, habitus, dorsal; B, anal somite and caudal rami, ventral; C, rostrum; D, antenna; E, leg 5. Scale bars: A, 0.5 mm; B–D, 0.05 mm; E, 0.02 mm.