A new species of Schizopera (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from Japan,its phylogeny based on the mtCOI gene and comments on the genus Schizoperopsis

The predominantly marine genus Schizopera Sars, 1905 has only two significant inland water species-flocks, one in the ancient African Lake Tanganyika and the other in subterranean waters of Western Australia. Discovery of Schizopera abei sp. nov. from several interstitial locations in the vicinity of the ancient Lake Biwa has wider implications for the study of morphological homoplasies in the genus, as well as for the study of freshwater invasions in harpacticoid copepods. The new Schizopera species belongs to a small group of congeners with a two-segmented endopod of the fourth leg, which used to be recognised as a separate genus, Schizoperopsis Apostolov, 1982. Our reconstructed phylogenies based on the mtCOI partial sequences suggest that this character probably evolved convergently in at least some Schizopera, thus rendering the genus Schizoperopsis polyphyletic. However, almost all basal nodes in our cladograms are weakly supported, which shows limitations of a single-gene approach for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships. The new species is the first member of its genus from Japanese inland waters, and it has no close relatives among extent congeners anywhere in the world. We speculate that its ancestor may have invaded Lake Biwa, and subsequently its surrounding subterranean waters, from brackish areas around central Japan, presumably during a period of high sea water level through its major outflow river. This discovery may provide further support for the hypothesis about the role of ancient lakes as biodiversity pumps for subterranean habitats.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1F71F7AD-B7C8-4AD3-BE44-5E1BEE4E2AA8     

Redefinition of the parastenocaridid genus Proserpinicaris (Copepoda: Harpacticoida), with description of three new species from Korea

Proserpinicaris young sp. nov., Proserpinicaris wangpi sp. nov. and Proserpinicaris imjin sp. nov. are described from subterranean waters of South Korea. They are short-range endemics, allopatric in distribution and closely related to each other, and to two other Far Eastern congeners. Distinguishing features are limited to the general habitus shape, proportions of the caudal rami and degree of sexual dimorphism. The genus Proserpinicaris Jakobi, 1972 Jakobi, H. 1972. Trends (Enp.P4 Mänchen) innerhalb der Parastenocarididen (Copepoda Harpacticoidea). Crustaceana, 22: 127–146. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar], as redefined here, is Palaearctic in distribution, with the centre of diversity in southern Europe, and 20 valid members, all of which share a large hyaline spiniform structure on the male fourth leg basis as a synapomorphy. A key to species is provided. Genera Niponnicaris Jakobi, 1972 Jakobi, H. 1972. Trends (Enp.P4 Mänchen) innerhalb der Parastenocarididen (Copepoda Harpacticoidea). Crustaceana, 22: 127–146. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar] and Pannonicaris Jakobi, 1972 Jakobi, H. 1972. Trends (Enp.P4 Mänchen) innerhalb der Parastenocarididen (Copepoda Harpacticoidea). Crustaceana, 22: 127–146. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar] are established as its junior subjective synonyms, Lacustricaris Jakobi, 1972 Jakobi, H. 1972. Trends (Enp.P4 Mänchen) innerhalb der Parastenocarididen (Copepoda Harpacticoidea). Crustaceana, 22: 127–146. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar] is formally synonymized with Parastenocaris Kessler, 1913, and Parastenocaris lacustris Chappuis, 1958 Chappuis, PA. 1958. Le genre Parastenocaris Kessler. Vie Milieu, 8: 423–432.  [Google Scholar] is designated as incertae sedis in Fontinalicaridinae Schminke, 2010 Schminke, HK. 2010. High-level phylogenetic relationships within Parastenocarididae (Copepoda, Harpacticoida). Crustaceana, 83: 343–367. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar].     

A new genus of Parabathynellidae (Crustacea: Bathynellacea) in New South Wales,Australia

A new genus and species of the family Parabathynellidae, Octobathynella peelensis gen. nov. sp. nov., is described from New South Wales, Australia. The new genus displays several exclusive characters: a very large and distinctive male thoracopod VIII with one crest-like projection containing two lobules on the basipod; and four aesthetascs on segments six and seven of the antennule. It also has several combinations of characters that make it unique in the Parabathynellidae, specifically that: the antennule is eight-segmented (a new character in the Australian species); there are seven segments in the antenna; the labrum has 18–20 teeth; the exopod of thoracopod I has three to four segments and the exopod of thoracopod II has four segments; the endopod has one dorsal seta on the first and second segments and the epipod is absent on thoracopod I; pleopods are absent; the endopod of the male thoracopod VIII has two setae and the exopod has setules; there are 10–12 spines on the sympod, three or four spines on the endopod and five setae on the exopod of the uropod. The new genus and species is placed into context with all known Bathynellacea in Australia, and the biogeographic patterns are discussed for this ancient group of subterranean crustaceans.     

A new genus and two new species of Parastenocarididae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from southeastern India

Indocaris gen. nov. with two new species, Indocaris imbricata sp. nov. and Indocaris inopinata sp. nov., and also for the already known Indocaris tirupatiensis (Ranga Reddy 2011a) comb. nov. – all from the groundwaters in peninsular India. The highly diagnostic synapomorphy of the new genus is a composite character associated with the male leg 4 basis: five or six prominent, imbricate, enlarged, petal-like spinules, arranged as a semi-whorl at the insertion of the endopod and increasing in size from internal to external. Another distinctive feature of the same appendage is that its one-segmented endopod is dilated or bulbous in the proximal half, produced distally into an incurved spiniform or horn-like structure about as long as the corresponding first exopodal segment, and ornamented with three or four fine spinules on the subproximal outer margin. The three species also share a unique constellation of other salient morphologic features, which along with the phylogenetic position of Indocaris gen. nov. within the family Parastenocarididae are discussed. Indocaris gen. nov. has closest phylogenetic affinity with the Neotropical Remaneicari Jakobi, 1972. A short note on the ecology and biogeography of the parastenocaridid species of the Indian subcontinent is provided besides a key for their identification.