New genus and species of calanoid copepods (Crustacea) belonging to the group of Bradfordian families collected from the hyperbenthic layers off Japan

A new genus and species of calanoid copepods belonging to the group of Bradfordian families, Pogonura rugosagen. et sp. nov., is described from the deep-sea hyperbenthic layers off Nagannu Island, Okinawa Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Pogonuragen. nov. is similar to another Bradfordian genus Procenognatha in sharing the following characteristics: (1) segmentation of the antennule, fused segments II–IV, X–XI, XXVII–XXVIII in females and II–IV, X–XII, XXVII–XXVIII, right XXII–XXIII in males; (2) retained setae on the ancestral segments I–IV of the antennary exopod; (3) setules on the mandibular gnathobase; (4) 3 sclerotized setae on the maxillary endopod; (5) absence of sensory seta on the maxilliped; (6) large spinules on the posterior surface of the rami of legs 2 and 3; and (7) setation and segmentation of female leg 5. Pogonuragen. nov. is distinctly distinguished from Procenognatha by the following features: (1) reduction of a seta on the ancestral segment IX of the antennary exopod, (2) 8 setae (7 in Procenognatha) on the maxillular exopod, (3) 5 brush-like setae (6 in Procenognatha) on the maxillary endopod, and (4) reduction of right endopod of male leg 5. The systematic position of Pogonuragen. nov. in the Bradfordian families is also discussed. Although this new genus shares synapomorphies with some diaixid genera, an assignment of this genus to any Bradfordian family should be pending until the taxonomy of this family group is clearly settled.

Study on Tullbergiidae of Tibet, China I. Metaphorura, Mesaphorura and Prabhergia (Hexapoda, Collembola)

The Tullbergiidae of Tibet is studied for the first time and the genus Metaphorura Bagnall, 1936 is firstly recorded in China. Metaphorura motuoensissp. n. from southeastern Tibet is described and illustrated. It is characterized by the presence of 1+1 pseudocelli on thoracic segment I, few vesicles (14 -16) on PAO, pseudocellar formula as 11/111/11111, all pseudocelli of type II, setae p4 on abdominal segment V as microsetae, weakly differentiated sensory seta p3 on abdominal segment V, absence of median process on Abd VI. In addition, Mesaphorura yosii (Rusek, 1967), Mesaphorura hylophila Rusek, 1982, and Prabhergia imadatei Tamura & Zhao, 1996 are recorded in Tibet for the first time. The type specimens of P. imadatei are re-examined and errors in the original description of chaetotaxy are corrected.

Euphilomedes biacutidens (Ostracoda, Myodocopida, Philomedidae), a new species from China Sea

Ostracods are one of the major groups of marine benthos, inhabiting virtually all oceanic environments worldwide, and a total of 31 species have been recorded in genus Euphilomedes Kornicker, 1967. In the present study, we describe a new species Euphilomedes biacutidens collected from the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. E. biacutidens sp. nov. differs from the related species of the genus Euphilomedes in having a unique combination of the characteristics of spines on carapace, the filaments on sensory seta, the arrangement of setae on tip of the first antenna, the numbers of setae on appendages, the claws on fifth limb, the teeth on the comb of the seventh limb and furcal claws. It is particularly obvious that it has a bifurcated and pointed ventral corner of the rostrum, two spines on the posterior margin of right valve, a row of teeth along the inner margin of article 3 of the endopod of the second antenna, and some long claws instead of setae on the fifth limb.

On Schornikovdona gen. nov. (Ostracoda, Candonidae) from rheocrene springs in Texas (U.S.A.)

A new candonid genus,Schornikovdonagen. nov., with its type speciesSchornikovdona bellensissp. nov., is described from rheocrene springs of Bell County, Texas. It is designated to the tribe Candonini due to the smooth carapace surface, normal pore openings with sensory seta, the presence of a 5-segmented first antenna, two long sexual bristles on the second antenna in males, the narrowly fused terminal segment of the Md palp, a long penultimate segment of the Mxl palp, two long and one short setae on the terminal segment of T3, the absence of an “e” seta on T3, the presence of a posterior seta on the uropod, the presence of 5 + 2 rows of spines on Zenker’s organ, and other characteristics found in the tribe. The main diagnostic characteristics separating the new genus from the other genera in the tribe are the shape of the carapace, the reduced numbers of segments in the first antenna, reduction or absence of exopodial setae in the second antenna, asymmetrical clasping organs, the uropod with one rod-shaped claw, the different shape of the hemipenis, and differences in parts of the chaetotaxy. Based on these differences, we proposeSchornikovdonagen. nov. as a new genus, with the new speciesS. bellensissp. nov., in the subfamily Candoninae in the family Candonidae.

Description of Sarsilatona cf. fernandoi (Rane, 1983) (Crustacea: Cladocera: Sididae) found in the south of Vietnam

The representatives of the rare genus Sarsilatona close to originally poorly described S. fernandoi (Rane, 1983) from Central India (Madhya Pradesh State) are studied on the basis of female specimens from two localities in the south of Vietnam. Their exact species assignment remains to be vague due to inability to investigate the type material. The studied specimens differ from all other species of the genus in presence of only small denticles, not setules, on the sensory seta of antennules. S. cf. fernandoi resembles S. serricauda (Sars, 1901) in presence of large dorsal postabdominal outgrowths but differs from the latter in shorter antennules, lack of a large prominence on the posterior side of antennal basipodite, presence of setules, not small denticles, on the ventral valve margins, more numerous anal teeth in each cluster, and less numerous and thicker clusters of spinules near postero-ventral valve margins. The representatives of S. fernandoi s.l. seem to be widely distributed in tropical Asia, from India to Vietnam, preferring small water bodies. Superficially similar representatives of the genus from Africa probably belong to a yet undescribed new species.

Two new species of Leydigia Kurz, 1875 (Chydoridae, Cladocera) from Spain

We describe two new species of Leydigia Kurz, 1875 (Chydoridae, Cladocera) from Spain. L. (Neoleydigia) iberica sp. nov. has a series of traits rarely observed in well-studied species of the subgenus L. (Neoleydigia), and never in this combination: (1) PP distance large; (2) numerous, low hillocks on preanal margin of postabdomen; (3) numerous setae in lateral fascicles on postabdomen, plus distalmost and next setae subequal in size; (4) sensory seta shifted to distal end of antenna I, but not so markedly as in L. microps; (5) fully setulated basal segment of distalmost scraper on limb III; (6) 5 setae on exopodite III. L (N.) korovchinskyi sp. nov. has seven setae on limb III exopodite, characteristic for only two species of the subgenus L. (Neoleydigia) Kotov, 2009, namely L. (N.) propinqua and L. (N.) microps, but the former differs from both latter taxa in: (1) absence of a “coarse” striation; (2) rounded apex of labral keel and (3) longer setae 34 of exopodite III. At this moment, each species was found in a single locality. Both species are rare and seem endemic of Iberian Peninsula (but may be found in some surrounded Mediterranean territories); they could be regarded as relicts sensu Korovchinsky (2006).

A new family of the order Ctenopoda (Crustacea: Cladocera) from the depths of the Black Sea

The recently described Pseudopenilia bathyalis Sergeeva, 2004, found in the depths of the Black Sea and initially attributed to family Sididae (Crustacea: Cladocera: Ctenopoda), have after reinvestigation been placed in Pseudopenilidae, a new family of the cladoceran order Ctenopoda. The following set of the main diagnostic features characterize Pseudopenilidae: comparatively large antennules with long sensory seta and five aesthetascs; long and massive second antennae with two-segmented branches armed with long, one-segmented, needle-shaped setae without setules; maxillules without long setae; lack of second maxillae; closed brood pouch; six pairs of similar thoracic limbs without gnathobases and filtering setae; small epipodites present only on thoracic limbs of first pair; large postabdomen, having massive terminal claws and one-segmented, needle-shaped setae nanatoriae without setules; resting eggs with hard outer shell. Among Ctenopoda, Pseudopenilidae is closest to the marine Penilia (family Sididae, subfamily Penilinae) but is at the same time very different. P. bathyalis is a member of the recently discovered community of invertebrates, populating the deep anaerobic zone of the Black Sea, whose taxonomic diversity and mode of existence need further investigations.