Kushia Harris & Iwasaki, 1996

Harris, Vernon A., 2014, Porcellidiidae of Australia (Harpacticoida, Copepoda). II. The Importance of the Male Antennule in Taxonomy, Records of the Australian Museum 66 (2), pp. 111-166 : 133

Genus Kushia Harris & Iwasaki, 1996

Kushia Harris & Iwasaki, 1996: 204 .— Bodin, 1997: 68; Walker-Smith, 2001:655; Wells, 2007: 80.

Porcellidium .— Gamô, 1969: 345; Kim & Kim, 1997: 161.

Type species. Kushia zosteraphila Harris & Iwasaki, 1996 .

Diagnosis. Female P5 exopod with ventral expansion that lies under (ventral to) edge of genital double-somite ( Fig. 16E ); male antennule with conspicuous anterior comb near δ seta on segment 3, and three coupling denticles on segment 4 (middle denticle expanded distally, Y-shaped Fig. 18E, F ), no brush-pad; hyaline border with sensilla at lateral edge of cephalosome, marginal glands conspicuous with ducts opening dorsal to border; no massive dorsal cuticular honeycomb; no ridge-plates on labrum; no lateral striations on female genital double-somite; female caudal rami pentagonal, typically widen posteriorly, terminal setae T1 to T4 all present, not pinnately clavate or evenly spaced; maxillule endopod with six setae; coxae of maxillipeds touch in mid-line; male P5 trapezoidal with six terminal setae; spermatophore elongate, ephemeral on female.

Species composition. Kushia zosteraphila Harris & Iwasaki, 1996 ; K. gamoi Harris & Iwasaki, 1996 ; K. igaguria Harris & Iwasaki, 1996 ; Kushia spathoides sp. nov.

The genus is known from Japan, Korea and northern NSW, Australia.

Etymology. The name Kushia refers to the characteristic anterior comb on male antennule, (Japanese Kushi a type of Japanese hair comb).

Remarks. The genus is clearly defined by structure of male antennule and female P5 limb. The marginal glands possessed by all members of the Porcellidiidae are particularly conspicuous in the above four species. They also occur in other parts of the body such as the genital doublesomite, caudal rami and P5 limbs.

Figures

Figure 16. Kushia spathoides sp. nov. Female: (A) antenna; (B) mandible; (C) maxilliped; (D) P5 (dorsal, gl. marginal glands); (E) P5 (ventral, showing ventral expansion, vent.exp); (F) maxilla; (G) maxillule; (H) P1. Scale bar: A = 0.08 mm. B = 0.2 mm C = 0.09 mm. D. E = 0.18 mm. F, H = 0.12 mm. G = 0.1 mm.

Figure 18. Kushia spathoides sp. nov. Male: (A) adult (gl. marginal glands); (B) abdominal region and caudal rami showing secretory cells (sec.c.) producing spermatophore case; (C) caudal rami; (D) rostrum and “shoulder” (ventral; mg.g. marginal gland; stri. striations); (E) coupling denticles (dent.) of antennule; (F) antennule, showing anterior comb (ant.comb) and ventral process (vent.pro.). Scale bar: A = 0.45 mm. B = 0.23 mm. C, F = 0.1 mm. D = 0.14 mm. E = 0.08 mm.