Caligus asymmetricus Kabata, 1965

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 : 154-155

Caligus asymmetricus Kabata, 1965

( Figs 2A–E )

Hosts: Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus) ; Scomberomorus commerson (Lacepède) ( Scombridae : Scombriformes); Sphyraena barracuda (Edwards) ( Sphyraenidae : Carangiformes)

Locality: Off east coast South Africa (Indian Ocean)— K. pelamis , S. commerson ; off west coast South Africa (Atlantic Ocean)— S. barracuda

Material examined: 11♀ + 1♂

Material collected: 2♀ from S. commerson ; 7♀ + 1♂ from S. barracuda ; and 2♀ from K. pelamis

Voucher material: 3♀ ( SAMC-A099195 ) from S. barracuda deposited in the Iziko South African Museum , Cape Town, South Africa .

Adult female ( Fig. 2A ) distinguished by its small size and short abdomen (about 10% of total length); antenna (a2) with small, narrow posterior process (arrowed) on proximal segment ( Fig. 2B ); post-antennal process (pap) with small, acutely pointed tine ( Fig. 2B ); sternal furca with slender, pointed tines ( Fig. 2C ); leg 2 endopod first segment with long distolateral spinules (s), second segment outer margin with double row of 6–8 strong denticles (d) ( Fig. 2D ); leg 4 outer spines I–III (arrowed) equal length ( Fig. 2E ) (cf. Cressey & Cressey 1980; Ho & Lin 2004; Boxshall 2018).

Remarks: This confirms the previous report of C. asymmetricus from S. commerson and K. pelamis off South Africa ( Oldewage & Van As 1989; Dippenaar 2004) while S. barracuda constitutes a new host record.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Caligus asymmetricus Kabata adult female: A. adult female and male, dorsal view; B. cephalothorax, ventral view (a2 = antenna; pap = post-antennal process; mpp = maxillule posterior process); C. sternal furca; D. leg 2 (s = spinules; d = denticles); E. leg 4 exopod (arrows = spines I, I, III respectively).