Stellicomes pambanensis, a new cyclopoid copepod parasitic on starfish

Abstract

The siphonostomatous family Stellicomitidae of Humes and Cressey, 1958, includes three genera, namely, SteUicomes Humes and Cressey, Onycopygus H. & C, and Asterocomes Padmanabharao, 1962. Under the genus SteUicomes two species, S. tumidulus and 5. guineensis are so far known. All stellicomitids are parasitic on asteroids and are characterised by the presence of a highly reduced siphon. Besides it is interesting to note that there is a tendency in most of them to show reduction or absence of endopodites of the natatory legs. The form described below agrees with SteUicomes in most of its generic characters and at the same time differs from the species described earlier in the presence of the second leg with highly reduced one-jointed endopodite, third and fourth le^ without endopodites and the sixth leg as a single seta in male. These characters being of significant taxonomic value, the present form is treated as a new species under the genus SteUicome