Metacyclops, Kiefer, 1927

Tang, Danny & Knott, Brenton, 2009, Freshwater cyclopoids and harpacticoids (Crustacea: Copepoda) from the Gnangara Mound region of Western Australia, Zootaxa 2029, pp. 1-70 : 41-42

Key to females of Australian species of Metacyclops

1 Legs 1–4 with spine formula 3.4.4.3 on the distal exopodal segment .................. M. superincidentis Karanovic, 2004

- Not as above.................................................................................................................................................................. 2

2 Legs 1–4 with spine formula 3.4.4.2 on the distal exopodal segment........................................................................... .................................................................................................. M. mortoni Pesce, De Laurentiis & Humphreys, 1996

- Legs 1–4 with spine formula 3.3.3.3 on the distal exopodal segment .......................................................................... 3

3 Antenna with exopodal seta; body somites furnished with cuticular pits..................................................................... 4

- Antenna without exopodal seta; body somites lacking cuticular pits .......................................................................... 6

4 First antennulary segment with proximal aesthetasc; spine on free exopodal segment of leg 5 longer than segment... ........................................................................................................................................ M. arnaudi (G. O. Sars, 1908)

- First antennulary segment without proximal aesthetasc; spine on free exopodal segment of leg 5 considerably shorter than segment .................................................................................................................................................... 5

5 Genital double-somite wider than long; antennule relatively long, reaches to posterior margin of cephalothorax ....... .................................................................................................................................... M. laurentiisae Karanovic, 2004

- Genital double-somite longer than wide; antennule relatively short and compact, reaches to proximal half of cephalothorax .............................................................................................................................. M. pilanus Karanovic, 2004

6 Seta VII on caudal ramus about as long as ramus; maxilliped with 3 elements on syncoxa and distal endopodal segment ............................................................................................................................... M. pilbaricus Karanovic, 2004

- Seta VII on caudal ramus about twice as long as ramus; maxilliped with 2 elements on syncoxa and distal endopodal segment ......................................................................................................................... M. kimberleyi Karanovic, 2004