POLY: REDESCRIPTION OF THE HOLOTYPE OF ARGULUS FL O RIDE NS IS 
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2 sharp claws (1 broken/missing) and one blunt, elongate lobe positioned above claws (did not see 
a small sensillum at tip of lobe). 
Host.— Unknown. 
Etymology. — The specific name, floridensis, is derived from the state, Florida, in which the 
type locality is located and has an adjectival suffix, ensis, meaning “of or from Florida.” 
Discussion 
Not mentioned in the earlier description is that the third thoracic segment is produced laterally 
into an expanded anterolateral lobe that has scales protruding laterally and anteriorly in apposition 
to the posterior lobe of the coxae of the second legs. The fleshy lobe at posterior of thorax, the fleshy 
papilla and sclerotized pegs on the dorsal side of the third legs, number of support rods, and other 
measurements and morphological details also were not included in the original description. 
Meehean’s description of a “broadly bilobed lamella” applies to the right second leg on which the 
lobe does have a slight indentation or wr ink le near its midpoint. This demonstrates how slight dif¬ 
ferences can exist in structures within a species and even on the same specimen. Additional speci¬ 
mens are needed to determine if both conditions occur normally or if one might be abnormal or an 
artifact of preservation (the present author believes the morphology shown in Fig. 3 A is likely the 
normal condition). 
Of the 10 Argulus spp. reported from the Gulf of Mexico region in Poly (2009), the number of 
sclerites in the suction cup support rods of A. floridensis exceeds that of eight of the other species, 
with A. funduli being the only exception; the holotype (male) of A. floridensis has 14-19 sclerites 
per support rod compared with A. funduli (11-21, male; 12-26 female), A.fuscus Bere, 1936 (6-7, 
male; 12-14, female), A. alosae Gould, 1841 (10—12), ^4. rotundus Wilson, 1944 (11), A. yucatanus 
Poly, 2005 (2-5), A. laticauda Smith, 1873 (3-4), A. megalops Smith, 1873 (5—10), ^4. varians Bere, 
1936 (3-6), A. bicolor Bere, 1936 (6-10) (Bere 1936; Meehean 1940; Wilson 1944; Cressey 1972; 
Bouchet 1985; Poly 2005). However, male A. funduli lack secondary sexual modifications on the 
second legs, lack accessory spines and postmaxillary spines, have short, blunt teeth on the basal 
plate of the second maxilla, and have a long thin abdomen that has many scales on its ventral 
surface (Poly, 2005, unpubl. data). The holotype of A. floridensis has 77 support rods in the 
first maxilla (suction cup) compared with A. yucatanus (37- 51), A. funduli (53-64), A. cubensis 
(39^49), and A. chromidis (42). Unfortunately, numbers of support rods for nearly all Argulus spp. 
were never reported in original descriptions or subsequent studies but should be included as it is a 
valuable meristic character. Structures on the bases of the fourth legs of A. floridensis, A. kosus 
Avenant-Oldewage, 1994, and A. yucatanus are very similar, and males of these three species also 
have a fleshy lobe on the posterior margin of the thorax between the coxae of the fourth legs. How¬ 
ever, features of the first and second maxillae and secondary sexual structures on legs of males 
distinguish among these three species (Van As et al. 1999; Poly 2005). The pair of pegs on the third 
legs of male A. floridensis resemble structures on males of other species, including A. arcassonen- 
sis Cuenot, 1912, A. kusafugu Yamaguti and Yamasu, 1959, A. kosus, and A. yucatanus (Yamaguti 
and Yamasu 1959; Masson and Delamare Deboutteville 1963; Van As et al. 1999; Poly 2005). 
Argulus floridensis requires a more thorough redescription based on a good sample of male 
and females specimens and including more meristic and morphometric information such as 
numbers of suction cup support rods, types and numbers of scales on various structures, setae, 
sensillae, and other details. Illustrations of additional structures and inclusion of more details of the 
holotype herein should allow for identification of other specimens of Argulus floridensis. 
