Bicorniphontodes (Copepoda: Harpacticoida: Laophontodinae Lang, 1944): a new genus with description of a new species from the Napoleon Reef, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, Egypt

Abstract

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.

Restructuring the Ancorabolidae Sars (Copepoda, Harpacticoida) and Cletodidae T. Scott, with a new phylogenetic hypothesis regarding the relationships of the Laophontoidea T. Scott, Ancorabolidae and Cletodidae

“…However, their assignment of Patagoniaella to the "Cletodidae" is rejected and the genus is placed as species inquirenda in Harpacticoida; 4. Lee and Huys' (2019) assignment of Ancorabolina George, 2006 to the "Laophontodinae" Lang, 1944 is here adapted to Laophontodinae • and phylogenetically substantiated; 5. The assignment of the Ceratonotus-group to the Cletodidae • and its discovered close relationship with Cletodes lead to the erection of Cletodinae T. Scott, 1904 subfam.…”

“…Genital system single (one copulatory pore and fused gonopores); P6 forming a genital operculum in females, asymmetric or absent in males. Included genera: Algensiella Cottarelli & Baldari, 1987, Ancorabolina George, 2006, Ancorabolus Norman, 1903 (type genus), Arthropsyllus Sars, 1909, Bicorniphontodes George, Glatzel & Schröder, 2019, Breviconia Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000, Calypsophontodes Gheerardyn & Lee, 2012, Juxtaramia Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000, Laophontodes T. Scott, 1894, Lobopleura Conroy-Dalton, 2004, Paralaophontodes Lang, 1965, Probosciphontodes Fiers, 1988, Rostrophontodes Lee & Huys, 2019, Tapholaophontodes Soyer, 1975, Uptionyx Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000.…”

“…Laophontoidea T. Scott, 1904I, II, III/A A 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 Cletodoidea Bowman & Abele, 1982Laophontoidea T. Scott, 1904 Adenopleurellidae Huys, 1990 I, II ** cf. Huys (1990), Huys and Lee (1998/99) Cristacoxidae Huys, 1990Laophontidae T. Scott, 1904Laophontopsidae Huys & Willems, 1989Normanellidae Lang, 1944 Orthopsyllidae Huys, 1990Cletodoidea Bowman & Abele, 1982Ancorabolidae• Sars, 1909II, III/B B 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 Cletodidae• T. Scott, 1904sensu Por (1986) Ancorabolidae• Sars, 1909Ancorabolinae• Sars, 1909I, II, III/C C 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 Laophontodinae• Lang, 1944Laophontodinae• Lang, 1944 Algensiella Cottarelli & Baldari, 1987 III/D D 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 141 Ancorabolina George, 2006Bicorniphontodes George, Glatzel & Schröder, 2019Calypsophontodes Gheerardyn & Lee, 2012Laophontodes T. Scott, 1904Lobopleura Conroy-Dalton, 2001 Paralaophontodes Lang, 1965Probosciphontodes Fiers, 1988 Rostrophontodes Lee & Huys, 2019Tapholaophontodes Soyer, 1975Ancorabolinae• Sars, 1909Ancorabolus Norman, 1903 Arthropsyllus 83,84,85,86,87,88,<...>…”

“…nov. X 136, 137, 138, 139, 140 Acrenhydrosoma Lang, 1944Australonannopus Hamond, 1974Barbaracletodes Huys, 2009 incertae sedis Dyacrenhydrosoma Gee, 1999 Echinocletodes Lang, 1936 Cletodidae 136, 137, 138, 139, 140 Enhydrosomella Monard, 1935Geehydrosoma Kim et al, 2014 Intercletodes Fiers, 1987Kollerua Gee, 1994Limnocletodes Borutzky, 1926Miroslavia Apostolov, 1980Monocletodes Lang, 1936Nannopodella Monard, 1928Neoacrenhydrosoma Gee & Mu, 2000Paracrenhydrosoma Gee, 1999 Pyrocletodes Coull, 1973Schizacron Gee & Huys, 1996 Scintis Por, 1986Sphingothrix Fiers, 1997 Spinapecruris Gee, 2001 Strongylacron Stylicletodes Lang, 1936Triathrix Gee & Burgess, 1997Arthuricornua Conroy-Dalton, 2001 Cletodinae Por, 1986 43,59,63,64,74,76,80,82,98,100,102,104,105,142,143,144,145,146,147 urosoma inconspicuous. Sexual dimorphism in A1, P3, P4 (occasionally), P5 and P6; females with genital double somite due to fusion of last (P6-bearing) thoracic somite with first abdominal (genital) one.…”

“…Included genera: Acrenhydrosoma Lang, 1944, Arthuricornua Conroy-Dalton, 2001, Australonannopus Hamond, 1974, Barbaracletodes Huys, 2009, Ceratonotus Sars, 1909, Cletodes Brady, 1872 (type genus), Dendropsyllus Conroy-Dalton, 2003, Dimorphipodia Lee & Huys, 2019, Dorsiceratus Drzycimski, 1967, Dyacrenhydrosoma Gee, 1999, Echinocletodes Lang, 1936, Echinopsyllus Sars, 1909, Enhydrosoma Boeck, 1872, Enhydrosomella Monard, 1935, Geehydrosoma Kim, Trebukhova, W. Lee & Karanovic, 2014, Intercletodes Fiers, 1987, Kollerua Gee, 1994, Limnocletodes Borutzky, 1926, Miroslavia Apostolov, 1980, Monocletodes Lang, 1936, Nannopodella Monard, 1928, Neoacrenhydrosoma Gee & Mu, 2000, Paracrenhydrosoma Gee, 1999, Polyascophorus George, 1998, Pseudechinopsyllus George, 2006, Pyrocletodes Coull, 1973, Schizacron Gee & Huys, 1996, Scintis Por, 1986, Sphingothrix Fiers, 1997, Spinapecruris Gee, 2001, Strongylacron Gee & Huys, 1996, Stylicletodes Lang, 1936, Triathrix Gee & Burgess, 1997, Touphapleura Conroy-Dalton, 2001. Scott, 1904, subfam.…”