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The present paper focuses on taxonomic and phylogenetic investigations of the family Argestidae Por, 1986. Samples, collected during the cruise DIVA 1 (M48/1) to the Angola Basin on board of RV “Meteor” (2000), contain amongst others several specimens belonging to the Mesocletodes abyssicola-group (Harpacticoida, Argestidae) which includes ten species so far. This paper deals with the description of Mesocletodes angolaensis sp. nov., M. bicornis sp. nov., M. dorsiprocessus sp. nov. and M. meteorensis sp. nov. as well as the redescription of Mesocletodes robustus Por, 1965. The four new species bear cuticular processes on the cephalothorax and/or telson, as is characteristic for the Mesocletodes abyssicola-group. These processes are supposed to be of high phylogenetic value, since they do not occur in any other taxon within the Argestidae, and are always inserted at the same position. Therefore, the Mesocletodes abyssicola-group is herein considered monophyletic.

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Two new species of Echinoderes from the Eratosthenes Seamount and a deep-sea station near the Sedlo Seamount are described. Echinoderes multiporus sp. nov. from the Eratosthenes Seamount is characterized by a combination of the presence of middorsal acicular spines on segments 4, 6, and 8, ventrolateral tubes on segment 2, lateroventral tubes on segment 5, lateroventral acicular spines on segments 6-9, midlateral tubes on segment 10, and type-2 glandular cell outlets in subdorsal position on segment 2 and in laterodorsal position on segments 4-9. Echinoderes unispinosus sp. nov. from the deep-sea station differs from its congeners by the combination of middorsal acicular spine on segment 4, lateroventral acicular spines on segments 6 and 7, type-2 glandular cell outlets present in midlateral position on segment 1, in subdorsal, laterodorsal, sublateral, and ventrolateral position on segment 2, in lateral accessory position on segment 5, and in sublateral position on segment 8, and densely aligned pectinate fringe teeth of the primary pectinate fringes similar in width on segments 1-10. In addition, the morphological data of two undescribed species from the Anaximenes Seamount and a deep-sea station near the Sedlo Seamount are given. An undescribed species from the Anaximenes Seamount is morphologically similar to Echinoderes unispinosus sp. nov., but differs in the smaller trunk length, the presence of broader pectinate fringe teeth of the primary pectinate fringe on segment 1, and the absence of ventromedial sensory spots on segment 8. Another undescribed species from the deep-sea station differs from its congeners in the pattern of spines, tubes, and type-2 glandular cell outlets and length of middorsal and lateral terminal spines. New names are not given to both undescribed species in this study, because only one specimen is available for each species, and both of the specimens were damaged during the preparation.

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The above article appeared in:Marine Biology (2002) 141: 887-895and not in volume 144, as indicated in the source line of both the print and pdf online versions.The online version of the original article can be found at http:// dx

Findings of a new representative of the Laophontodinae Lang, 1944 (Copepoda, Harpacticoida) from the Napoleon Reef (Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, Egypt) provided new insights into the systematics of the type genus Laophontodes T. Scott, 1894. Bicorniphontodes clarae gen. et sp. nov., which is described in the present contribution, shares exclusively six derived characters with Laophontodes bicornis A. Scott, 1896, L. horstgeorgei George & Gheerardyn, 2015, and partly with L. hamatus (Thomson, 1883), and L. ornatus Krishnaswamy, 1957: (1) cephalothorax medio-laterally with triangular extensions and (2) postero-laterally with paired cuticular processes, (3) free body somites except telson dorsally with hyaline frills ending in rounded lappets, (4) furcal setae I and II displaced subapically, (5) antennar allobasis lacking abexopodal seta on endopodal half, (6) outer spines of the last segment of swimming legs 2 and 3 unipinnate and comb-like, with the pinnae being extremely long and set widely apart. Thus, the named species are excluded from Laophontodes and united together with B. clarae gen. et sp. nov. in Bicorniphontodes gen. nov. as Bicorniphontodes bicornis comb. nov., B. hamatus comb. nov., B. horstgeorgei comb. nov., and B. ornatus comb. nov.. Beside the description of B. clarae gen. et sp. nov., a detailed phylogenetic discussion regarding the systematic relationships of the named species and the justification of the erection of Bicorniphontodes gen. nov. is given, including its distribution in the world’s oceans. A key to species is also provided.