Mesocletodes Sars, 1909

Menzel, Lena & George, Kai Horst, 2009, Description of four new species of Mesocletodes Sars, 1909 (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Argestidae) and redescription of Mesocletodes robustus Por, 1965 from the South Atlantic, including remarks on the Mesocletodes abyssicola- group *, Zootaxa 2096 (1), pp. 214-256 : 216

Mesocletodes Sars, 1909

Type species: Mesocletodes irrasus (T. Scott, 1894) (described as Cletodes irrasa )

Additional species: In addition to the 4 herein new described species, Mesocletodes contains 32 species to date.

Diagnosis (amended by the authors). Body of subcylindric form, distal edge of body somites with many spinules close to hyaline frill, integument thin and flexible. Cphth comparatively short, rostrum small. Telson large, square. Furcal rami longer than broad. seta VII in the proximal third. Antennula: 7–8-segmented, second segment with strong protrusion bearing 1 strong bipinnate seta pointing backwards. Antenna with basis or allobasis, exp at most 1-segmented with at most 2 setae. Mandibula: palpus with exp and enp at most 1-segmented, elements of gnathobase form broad grinding face. Maxilla proximal endite with only 1 seta. Mxp stenopodial, with strong claw distally. Swimming legs: Enp at most biarticulate, small, equal in armature at each leg but increasing in length from P2–P4. Exp 3-segmented, of P1 fairly small, of P2–P4 long and slender with slender inner setae. P1 exp3 with 4 setal elements only, spines with Subapical Tubulate Extensions. P 5 exp long and slender, inner lobe of basenp barely protruding. 1 egg sack with 2– 40 eggs.