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Issue: Vol. 1327 No. 1: 2 Oct. 2006
Type: Articles
Published: 2006-10-02
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1327.1.3
Page range: 41–62
Abstract views: 39
PDF downloaded: 3

Two new genera of Laophontidae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) without sexual dimorphism in the endopods of the swimming legs

Marine Biology Section,Biology Department, Ghent University, Campus Sterre – Building S8, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Section of Recent Invertebrates, Vautierstraat 29, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
Marine Biology Section,Biology Department, Ghent University, Campus Sterre – Building S8, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Marine Biology Section,Biology Department, Ghent University, Campus Sterre – Building S8, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Coleoptera Harpacticoida Laophontidae Propephonte gen. n. Apistophonte gen. n.

Abstract

Two new monospecific genera of the harpacticoid family Laophontidae T. Scott, 1905 are described here. Apistophonte wasiniensis gen. et sp. n. was found along the Kenyan coast and Propephonte duangitensis gen. et sp. n. along the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. They differ from most other laophontid genera in the absence of sexual dimorphism in the endopods of the swimming legs. At first sight, both new species resemble each other very closely in habitus, integumental ornamentation, chaetotaxy of the swimming legs and absence of sexual dimorphism in the endopods. However, the detailed characteristics of A1, maxilla and male P5 show that the species are not congeneric. The structure of the first antennular segment of Propephonte gen. n. suggests a close relationship with Peltidiphonte Gheerardyn and Fiers, 2006. The exact affinities of Apistophonte gen. n. however remain difficult to assess.

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