Caligus pauliani Nuñes-Ruivo & Fourmanoir, 1956

Dippenaar, Susan M. & Sebone, Makwena M., 2025, Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov., Zootaxa 5686 (2), pp. 151-197 : 157

Caligus pauliani Nuñes-Ruivo & Fourmanoir, 1956

( Figs 4A–G )

Hosts: Chrysoblephus puniceus (Gilchrist & Thompson) ( Sparidae : Acanthuriformes); Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus ( Coryphaenidae : Carangiformes); Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus) ( Scombridae : Scombriformes)

Material examined: 5♀ + 5♂

Material collected: 4♀ from C. puniceus ; 3♀ from C. hippurus ; 6♀ + 7♂ from K. pelamis

Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean)

Voucher material: 2♀ + 2♂ ( SAMC-A099197 ) from K. pelamis deposited in the Iziko South African Museum , Cape Town, South Africa .

Adult female ( Fig. 4A ) genital complex distolateral corners lobed, extending towards proximal third of abdomen; antenna (a2) with blunt posterior process (arrowed) on proximal segment ( Fig. 4B ); post-antennal process (pap) with slender curved tine with conical inner process (ip) ( Fig. 4B ); maxillule posterior process (mpp) slender ( Fig. 4B ); sternal furca (sf) with slightly divergent tines with lateral flanges ( Figs 4B, C ); leg 1 last exopodal segment with inner setae short (arrowed) (about as long as spine 2) ( Fig. 4D ), basal setules on distalmost seta unusually stout (arrowed) ( Fig. 4E ); leg 2 endopod first and second segments with strong denticles (arrowed) on outer margins ( Fig. 4F ); leg 4 proximal segment distomedial spine (IV) almost twice length of other spines ( Fig. 4G ) (cf. C. biseriodentatus in Cressey & Cressey 1980; Boxshall 2018).

Remarks: The examined specimens mostly conform to those described as C. biseriodentatus Shen ( Cressey & Cressey 1980; Boxshall 2018) except for the shape of the posterolateral corners of the genital complex which extends further in the current specimens. In the notes regarding the synonymising of C. biseriodentatus and C. pauliani ( Boxshall & Bernot 2023) it is mentioned that the two species exhibit the same distinctive features namely amongst others, that the abdominal segments together are longer than the genital complex and that the four spines on the distal exopodal segment of leg 4 are “smaller than the outer margin spine” on the first exopodal segment. These character descriptions do not apply to the examined specimens but also not to those described by Cressey & Cressey (1980) (see Figs 57A, 58B) or Boxshall (2018) (see Figs 20A, 20F ).

Previous reports were all from Scombridae and Sphyraenidae (Boxshall & Bernot 2018, Dippenaar 2004). Therefore, these reports from C. puniceus (Acanthuriformes) and C. hippurus (Carangiformes) are both new host records.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Caligus pauliani Nuñes-Ruivo & Fourmanoir adult female:A. adult female and male, dorsal view; B. cephalothorax, ventral view (a2 = antenna; arrow = posterior process; pap = post-antennal process; ip = inner process; mpp = maxillule posterior process; sf = sternal furca); C. sternal furca; D. leg 1 exopod (inner setae arrowed); E. leg 1 distal exopodal segment setae, basal stout setules (arrowed); F. leg 2 endopodal segments 1 and 2 outer margin (denticles arrowed); G. leg 4 exopod (IV = distomedial spine).

FIGURE 20. Caligus cf. schlegeli Ho & Lin adult female: A. leg 1 exopod distal segment terminal spines 1–3 (arrow = accessory processes); B. leg 2 exopod (arrow = distolateral spine; os = outer spine); C. leg 2 second endopodal segment outer margin (arrow = denticles); D. leg 3 exopod (ds = distolateral spine); E. leg 4 exopod (dls = distolateral spine; I = lateral spine; II = terminal outer spine; III = terminal middle spine; IV = terminal inner spine); F. genital complex, abdomen and caudal rami (arrow = lateral indent).