A new genus of Arietelloidea (Copepoda, Calanoida), Frankferrarius, from deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

A new ealanoid copepod genus Erankferrarius is based on the female and male of a new speeies described herein. The specimens were collected in the North and South Atlantic from abyssal depths close to the sea bed during the German expedition DIVA III in 2009. Frankferrarius admirabilis gen. et sp. nov. is a representative of the superfamily Arietelloidea with the praecoxal arthrite of the maxillule heavily sclerotized and a highly specialized, huge maxilla with a well-pronounced articulation between the coxa and basis and with long, grouped endopod setae apparently designed for piercing and grasping prey. This new genus, Erankferrarius, does not completely fit any known family of the Arietelloidea, but is provisionally placed in the Augaptilidae as it shares with this family the general pattern of segmentation and setation of its swimming legs, and a single genital operculum positioned medially on the ventral part of the genital double-somite.