Two new species of the genus Wellsopsyllus (Copepoda; Harpacticoida; Paramesochridae) from the Yellow Sea

Abstract

A study of benthic harpacticoids from the intertidal zone of Gosapo Beach, on the west (Yellow Sea) coast of Korea, resulted in the discovery of two species of Wellsopsyllus Kunz, 1981. The first new species, Wellsopsyllus (Wellsopsyllus) egregius sp. nov., was allocated to the nominotypical subgenus by a combination of three characters: 1) a 3-segmented P4 exopod, 2) 1-segmented P2-P3 endopods, and 3) a P1 endopod-2 with one apical seta. However, it can be clearly distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: 1) a caudal rami with two blunt setae and the seta VII located sub-distally, 2) a P2 and P3 endopod represented by a small blunt process, and 3) the semioval shape of P5. The second new species was placed in the subgenus Scottopsyllus Apostolov & Marinov, 1988 according to the 3-segmented exopod and 2-segmented endopod of P4. Wellsopsyllus (S.) koreanus sp. nov. exhibits a unique combination of characters: 1) a dimpled distal margin of the female P5 endopodal lobe armed with two subequal setae, 2) a caudal seta V consisting of a stout spine-like base with a long cylindrical seta-like portion arising subdistally, and 3) a distinct bundle of five long inner setules on the P1 basis. We present a summary of the characters of all species in the genus Wellsopsyllus and propose an updated key for their identification.

Two new species of the genus Emertonia Wilson, 1932 from Korean waters (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Paramesochridae)

“…A subtidal zone near the Seogwipo Port in Jeju Island, Korea (33°13'33"N, 126°34'39"E), and sampled by using a grab (surface area: 0.1 m 2 ) on a fishing boat (Back and Lee 2014, as Emertonia sp. 2), depth 15–20 m, sand.…”

“…Within the family, the genus Emertonia Wilson, 1932 is seen to be the most species-rich genus. Despite the rich diversity, there are still many unidentified species to be regarded as new species within the genus (Plum and George 2009; Back and Lee 2014). According to Plum and George (2009), most of the species of Emertonia are discovered in the interstitial and coastal zone with an exception to four species found from the deep sea, E. andeep (Veit-Köhler, 2004), E. diva (Veit-Köhler, 2005), E. minor (Vasconcelos, Veit-Köhler, Drewes & Parreira dos Santos, 2009), and E. schminkei (Veit-Köhler & Drewes, 2009).…”

“…They reported a list including 88 marine and brackish-water harpacticoids belonging to 23 families (Song et al 2012). Especially in the case of the family Paramesochridae, 11 species are found in the coastal sandy sediments (Back and Lee 2014; Back and Lee 2017). As a part of ongoing taxonomical study on the harpacticoid copepods, we aim to describe two new species of Emertonia sampled from sandy beaches in Korean Waters.…”

Two new species of Leptopsyllus from Korea (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Paramesochridae)

“…For example, Emertonia clausi Pointer & Veit-Köhler, 2013 was collected from the deep sea (Pointner et al 2013) while Remanea naksanensis Back, Lee & Huys, 2011 was collected from brackish water (Back et al 2011). So far, nine species belonging to four genera in the family Paramesochridae have been discovered in Korea (Back and Lee 2014). …”