A new species of Caligus (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida) from the plankton of the Caribbean coast of Venezuela with a key to species

By

Suarez-Morales, Eduardo
Camisotti, Humberto
Martín, Alberto

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2012

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

201

Pages

59-71

Subjects

Bahía Amuay , Biodiversity , Crustaceans , Marine zooplankton , Parasitic copepods

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.201.3099

 

Abstract

During a survey of the zooplankton community of Bahía Amuay, Venezuelan Caribbean, specimens of an undescribed species of Caligus Müller were collected. It resembles C. xystercus Cressey and C. ocyurus Cressey, both known only from the Caribbean Sea. The new species can be distinguished from these and other congeners by a combination of characters including the armature of legs 1 and 4, but mainly by its unique female genital complex. This is the first species of Caligus described from Venezuela. The species is described in full and a key to the species of the genus recorded in Venezuela is provided.