A revision of the Brementia-group of genera (Copepoda: Notodelphyidae), with descriptions of a new genus and four new species

Abstract

A new genus of parasitic copepod, Paranoplodelphys, is established in the family Notodelphyidae to accommodate a new, highly reduced species, P. simplex n. gen. et n. sp., collected from a tunicate host, Didemnum dicolla in Djibouti. The new genus retains only four paired limbs: antennules, legs 1, 2 and 5. Two new species of Anoplodelphys, A. afri-cana and A.laubieri, are described from tunicate hosts of the genus Didemnum collected in the Gulf of Suez and off the Kwazulu-Natal coast, respectively. A new species of Achelidelphys, A. papuensis, is described from a Didemnum species host collected off Papua New Guinea. New records are also reported for Anoplodelphys corneci and Achelidelphys steinitzi also from tunicate hosts. After re-examination of type material of most species, a phylogenetic analysis of relationships between the genera of the Brementia-group was performed using PAUP. This identified four main clades: Brementia, Anoplodelphys, Paranoplodelphys and the Achelidelphys-clade. There was no support for the continued recognition of Cephalodelphys and Syndelphys as valid separate genera, and it is proposed to treat as them synonyms of Achelidelphys. Both genera were monotypic and upon transfer Cephalodelphys stellata Lafargue & Laubier, 1977 becomes Achelidelphys stellata (Lafargue and Laubier, 1977) n. comb. and Syndelphys reducta Lafargue and Laubier, 1977 becomes Achelidelphys reducta (Lafargue and Laubier, 1977) n. comb.