Discovery of a new hydrothermal copepod from the Indian Ocean and proposal of Parabathyesola gen. nov. (Harpacticoida, Laophontidae, Esolinae)

By

Kim, Jong Guk
Kim, Il-Hoi
Lee, Jimin

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025-12-3

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1262

Pages

1--20

Subjects

bathyal zone , Hydrothermal vent , meiofauna , Onnuri vent field

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1262.169224

 

Abstract

<br> Hydrothermal vent ecosystems are expected to harbor numerous meiobenthic animals; however, few studies have examined the species composition, abundance, and distribution of harpacticoid copepods in deep-sea hydrothermal assemblages. To gain insights into the natural biodiversity of such assemblages, we report a new species,<br> Parabathyesola calida<br> gen. et sp. nov.<br> (subfamily Esolinae, family Laophontidae), from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent in the Onnuri Vent Field located on the Central Indian Ridge. This species can be considered a sister taxon of the monotypic genus<br> Bathyesola<br> Huys &amp; Lee, 2000, sharing six derived character states in the antennules, maxillulary endopod, maxillipedal syncoxa, and thoracic legs in both sexes. However, it differs from<br> Bathyesola<br> in the combination of a female antennule with six segments and the first endopodal segment in the third and fourth legs with an inner seta, justifying the establishment of a new monotypic genus,<br> Parabathyesola<br> gen. nov.<br> Therefore, the subfamily Esolinae now includes 19 species in nine genera. We also provide an amended dichotomous key to the genera of this subfamily.<br>