First step towards understanding the specific identity of fish muscle parasites of the genus Sarcotaces (Copepoda: Philichthyidae)—New species and first molecular ID in the genus

A New Species and a New Genus of the Family Pennellidae (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida) Parasitic on North Pacific Lightfish <i>Maurolicus japonicus</i> (Actinopterygii: Stomiiformes: Sternoptychidae) Collected from Suruga Bay, Japan

“…Bodies of adult females of copepods belonging to the family Pennellidae are highly modified which makes the phylogenetic relationships of pennellid genera ambiguous (Boxshall 1986;Boxshall and Halsey 2004;Yumura et al 2022). The majority of the genera (Allotrifur Yamaguti, 1963, Cardiodectes Wilson, 1917, Creopelates Shiino, 1958, Haemobaphes Steenstrup and Lütken, 1861, Impexus Kabata, 1972, Lernaeenicus Lesueur, 1824, Lernaeocera Blainville, 1822, Lernaeolophus Heller, 1865, Nagasawanus Uyeno, 2015, Ophiolernaea Shiino, 1958, Pennella Oken, 1815, Peroderma Heller, 1865, Phrixocephalus Wilson, 1908, Protosarcotretes Ohtsuka, Lindsay, and Izawa, 2018, Sarcotretes Jungersen, 1911, Serpentisaccus Blasiola, 1979, and Trifur Wilson, 1917 are mesoparasitic, with the anterior part of the body (to the dominant number of somites) embedded in the host tissues and the posterior part exposed to the water (Kabata 1976;Piasecki 2022). The concept of mesoparasitism was introduced by Kabata (1976) and recently redefined by Piasecki et al (2022).…”

“…The majority of the genera (Allotrifur Yamaguti, 1963, Cardiodectes Wilson, 1917, Creopelates Shiino, 1958, Haemobaphes Steenstrup and Lütken, 1861, Impexus Kabata, 1972, Lernaeenicus Lesueur, 1824, Lernaeocera Blainville, 1822, Lernaeolophus Heller, 1865, Nagasawanus Uyeno, 2015, Ophiolernaea Shiino, 1958, Pennella Oken, 1815, Peroderma Heller, 1865, Phrixocephalus Wilson, 1908, Protosarcotretes Ohtsuka, Lindsay, and Izawa, 2018, Sarcotretes Jungersen, 1911, Serpentisaccus Blasiola, 1979, and Trifur Wilson, 1917 are mesoparasitic, with the anterior part of the body (to the dominant number of somites) embedded in the host tissues and the posterior part exposed to the water (Kabata 1976;Piasecki 2022). The concept of mesoparasitism was introduced by Kabata (1976) and recently redefined by Piasecki et al (2022). Some pennellid genera are reported exclusively from small mesopelagic and bathypelagic fish (e.g., Yamaguti and Utiumi 1953;Shiino 1958;Boxshall 1998;Ohtsuka et al 2018a, b).…”