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Description of four new endoparasitic species of the family Splanchnotrophidae (Copepoda, Poecilostomatoida) from nudibranch and sacoglossan gastropod hosts

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Abstract

The Splanchnotrophidae are a worldwide-distributed family of endoparasitic copepods, utilising shell-less opisthobranch gastropod hosts. Using scanning electron microscopy, we describe three new Ismaila Bergh, 1867 species infesting nudibranch hosts from southern Chile. Ismaila volatilis spec. nov. infests the proctonotid Janolus sp. and differs from all congeners by the size and number of dorsal bulges, the number of processes on the maxilla, and the thickness of thoracic appendages. Ismaila chaihuiensis spec. nov. was found in the doridoidean Diaulula punctuolata (D’Orbigny, 1837) and is diagnosed by a pore situated on a prominent bulge above the labrum. Ismaila genalis spec. nov. from a polycerid Holoplocamus papposus Odhner, 1926 host differs from its congeners in the size and form of the ventral bulges present on the head. These discoveries further broaden the range of splanchnotrophid host taxa; they are in line with earlier hypotheses of strict host specificity of Ismaila species and support Chile as a hotspot for Ismaila radiation. Herein, we present a key to the identification of all 14 Ismaila species. In Sulawesi (tropical Indo-West Pacific), Arthurius gibbosa spec. nov. infests the sacoglossan Elysia macnaei Marcus, 1982. The new species differs from both congeners by the short and stubby dorsal bulges. Uniquely among splanchnotrophids, long thoracic appendages are absent. Arthurius Huys, 2001 thus is the morphologically most divergent genus of the Splanchnotrophidae, but it is well characterized by the loss of several mouthparts and the preference for sacoglossan hosts. Currently, the distribution of the genus is limited to the Indo-West Pacific.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the entire team of the Laboratorio Costero de Recursos Acuáticos Calfuco near Valdivia and the staff of the Huinay Scientific Station for the great convenience and hospitality during the collection trip to southern Chile. We also thank one anonymous referee for the helpful comments on the manuscript. Roland Anton was funded by the University of Bavaria e.V. The fieldwork in Indonesia was supported by the GeoBioCenter of the Ludwig-Maximilians- University (LMU) Munich and the German research Foundation (DFG SCHR 667/3). Collecting trips to Chile were supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG SCHR 667/2,4 to Michael Schrödl), the GeoBioCenter of the LMU Munich and the University of Bavaria e.V.

Declaration of Ethical Standards

The authors hereby declare that all expereiments were complient with the current laws.

Conflict of interest

The authors hereby declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SNSB, Bavarian State Collection of Zoology Munich, Münchhausenstraße 21, 81247, Munich, Germany

    Roland F. Anton, Katharina M. Jörger & Michael Schrödl

  2. Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Dirk Schories

  3. Department Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Großhaderner Str.2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany

    Katharina M. Jörger & Michael Schrödl

  4. Sam Ratulangi University Manado, Sulawesi, Indonesia

    Fontje Kaligis

  5. Zoologische Staatssammlung München, Münchhausenstr. 21, 81247, Munich, Germany

    Roland F. Anton

Authors
  1. Roland F. Anton
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  2. Dirk Schories
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  3. Katharina M. Jörger
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  4. Fontje Kaligis
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  5. Michael Schrödl
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roland F. Anton.

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Communicated by P. Martinez Arbizu

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Anton, R.F., Schories, D., Jörger, K.M. et al. Description of four new endoparasitic species of the family Splanchnotrophidae (Copepoda, Poecilostomatoida) from nudibranch and sacoglossan gastropod hosts. Mar Biodiv 46, 183–195 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-015-0350-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-015-0350-8

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