Ectocyclops herbsti Dussart, 1984

Perbiche-Neves, Gilmar, Corgosinho, Paulo H. C., Previattelli, Daniel, Suárez-Morales, Eduardo, Nogueira, Marcos G. & da Rocha, and Carlos E. F., 2025, Catalogue for identification of the most common lacustrine and riverine cyclopoid copepod (Crustacea) species in plankton of La Plata Basin, South America, Zoologia (e 24023) 42, pp. 1-47 : 10

Ectocyclops herbsti Dussart, 1984

Figs 7 , 8

Diagnosis. Adult female, 990 µm in length excluding caudal setae. Body fusiform ( Fig. 8A, B ). P5 short and fused to somite, closely adjoined to body surface, all setae similar in size and reach to or passing midlength of genital double-somite ( Figs 7A , 8D ). Caudal ramus short, 1.2 to 1.8 times longer than wide, with at least three transverse rows of spinules, each row of different size ( Figs 7B, C , 8C ).

Remarks. Species with a wide geographic distribution in the Americas, often found in littoral regions, aquatic macrophytes and rivers, seldom occurring in the zooplankton of reservoirs. The body shape is fusiform. Animals with a dark (black or brownish) color, usually with debris attached to the body somites and appendages due to their benthic habit. This genus requires thorough taxonomic revision.

Figures

Figure 7. Ectocyclops herbsti, female: (A) P5; (B) caudal rami and caudal setae; (C) caudal rami, dorsal view; (D) left caudal ramus, dorsolateral view. Scale bars: A, C, D = 50 µm; D = 100 µm.

Figure 8. Ectocyclops herbsti, female: (A) habitus, lateral view; (B) habitus, ventral view; C. anal somite and caudal rami, ventral; (D) P5, ventral view. Scale bars: A, B = 100 µm; C = 200 µm; D = 50 µm.