Notopterophorus micropterus Sars G. O., 1921

Kim, Il-Hoi & Boxshall, Geoff A., 2020, Untold diversity: the astonishing species richness of the Notodelphyidae (Copepoda: Cyclopoida), a family of symbiotic copepods associated with ascidians (Tunicata), Megataxa 4 (1), pp. 1-6 : 136-142

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/megataxa.4.1.1
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5661679
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03C487CB-EFD6-3AB8-FF4D-FA77FE22FD62
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Notopterophorus micropterus Sars G. O., 1921
status

Treatment

Notopterophorus micropterus Sars G. O., 1921 ( Figs. 88–91 View FIGURE 88 View FIGURE 89 View FIGURE 90 View FIGURE 91 )

Material examined. 8 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂ (MNHN-IU-2018-1814) from Ascidia mentula M̹ller, 1776, Bergen, Norway; 63 ♀♀, 1 ♂ (MNHN-IU-2018-1815) and dissected 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂from A. mentula, Bergen , Norway.

Supplementary description of female. Body ( Fig. 88A View FIGURE 88 ) dark brown in colour after alcohol preservation. Body length 5.40 mm. Prosome ( Fig. 88B View FIGURE 88 ) with somites definedfromeachotherbyweakconstrictions.Firsttothird pedigerous somites each with paired dorsal extensions; small on first pedigerous somite, short, broad and with pointed apex on second, and tapering and with slender apical process on third. Brood pouch oval in dorsal view, with conical process on posteromedial margin (process variable in size, pointed or blunt, sometimes absent). Urosome 6-segmented, but fifth pedigerous somitelargely incorporated into brood pouch. Genital somite 408×476 μm; 4 freeabdominalsomites 497×415, 401×340, 258×252, and 17×190 μm, respectively. Anal somite ( Fig. 88C View FIGURE 88 ) highly sclerotized ventrally and ornamented with rows of minute spinules. Caudal ramus ( Fig. 88C View FIGURE 88 ) about 2.4 timeslongerthan wide, graduallynarrowing distally, armed with 4 claws and 2 setae; claws 36, 29, 25, and 22 μm long; 2 setae located at 60% and 74% of ramus length; ornamented with patch of minute spinules near proximal seta.

Rostrum ( Fig. 88D View FIGURE 88 ) small, conical, 67×47 μm, with slightly convex lateral margins each with row of minute spinules. Antennule ( Fig. 88E View FIGURE 88 ) 9-segmented; first and second segments expanded; armature formula 3, 16, 2, 4+aesthetasc, 5, 3+aesthetasc, 2, 2+aesthetasc, and 7+aesthetasc; second segment with minutely wrinkled surface near articulationwith third segment.Antenna ( Fig. 88F View FIGURE 88 ) consisting of coxa, allobasis and free 1-segmented endopod; coxa unarmed; allobasis with 1 small seta and short trace of suture at region slightly proximal to midlength; free compound endopodal segment 2.25 times longerthan wide (90×40 μm), shorter than basis, and armed with 8 small setae plus terminal claw, as long as segment.

Labrum ( Fig. 88G View FIGURE 88 ) with 3 setulose lobes along distal margin. Mandible ( Fig. 88H View FIGURE 88 ) with 5 teeth along medial margin of coxal gnathobase, middle tooth smaller than other 4; basiswith 1 medial seta; exopodwith 5 setae, outermost seta longer than others; endopod with 4 and 10 setaeonfirstandsecond segments, respectively; outermost and fifth outer setaon distal margin of second segment distinctly longerthan others on segment. Paragnath ( Fig. 88I View FIGURE 88 ) with 2 pointed processes (1 apical and 1 subapical) and setulose medial margin. Maxillule ( Fig. 88J View FIGURE 88 ) armed with 10 setae on arthrite, 1 on coxal endite, 2 on epipodite; basis with 4 setae on medial margin, 2 middle setae larger than other 2; exopod with 4 setae distally; endopod 2 segmentedwith 4 and 3 setae onfirst and second segments, respectively. Maxilla ( Fig. 89A View FIGURE 89 ) 5-segmented; syncoxa subdivided by incomplete unsclerotized region, with 4, 1, 2, and 3 setae on first to fourth endites, respectively; basis with 2 setae and 1 slender claw bearing 2 or 3 pairs of spinules on concave margin; endopod slender, armed with 1, 1, and 4 setae on first to third segments, respectively. Maxilliped ( Fig. 89B View FIGURE 89 ) 3-segmented, but first and second segmentsseparatedbyincomplete articulation; armedwith 9, 1, and 4 setae on first to third segments, respectively; first segment ornamented with rows of minute spinules on anterior and posterior surfaces; third segment with faint, incomplete suture line.

Legs 1–4 ( Fig. 89 View FIGURE 89 C–F) each with 3-segmented exopod and 2-segmented endopod; exopods slightly longer than endopods. Inner seta on coxa well-developed in legs 1 and 2, but lacking in legs 3 and 4. Outer seta on basis small in all legs. Inner distal seta on basis of leg 1 slender, smooth, and longer than first endopodal segment. Distalmost spine on third exopodal segment of leg 2 distinctly longer than other spines on same segment, but same element on legs 3 and 4 shorter than other spines on segment. Second endopodal segment of leg 3 with trace of articulation at proximal third ( Fig. 89E View FIGURE 89 ). Armature formula for legs 1–4 as follows:

	Coxa	Basis	Exopod	Endopod
Leg 1	0-1	1-I	I-1; I-1; III, I, 4	0-1; 1, 2, 4
Leg 2	0-1	1-0	I-1; I-0; III, I, 0	0-1; 1, 2, 5
Leg 3	0-0	1-0	I-1; I-0; III, I, 0	0-1; 1, 2, 5
Leg 4	0-0	1-0	I-0; I-0; III, I, 0	0-1; 1, 2, 4

Leg 5 ( Fig. 89G View FIGURE 89 ) consisting of protopod and exopod. Protopod not articulated from somite, with 1 naked seta on outer distal process and row of spinules at ventrodistal region near base of exopod. Free exopodal segment 3.6 timeslongerthan wide (138×38 μm), slightly narrowing distally, armed with 1 small spine and 1 slender seta; ornamented with 5 rows of minute spinules on medial surface and 1 or 2 rows of minute spinules on outer surface.

Supplementarydescriptionofmale. Body ( Fig. 90A View FIGURE 90 ) distinctly segmented. Bodylength 1.58 mm. Prosome-urosome division indistinct. Prosome slightly dorsoventrally depressed. Urosome 6-segmented, cylindrical, curved ventrally. Anal somite with fewer spinules on ventral surface than in female. Caudal rami as in female.

Rostrum as in female. Antennule ( Fig. 90B View FIGURE 90 ) 9- segmented but articulation indistinct between penultimate and terminal segments; non-geniculate; armature formula 3, 12+ III, 4, 4+aesthetasc. 5. 3+aesthetasc, 2, 2, and 7+aesthetasc; secondsegment armed with 12 setae and 3 conical, thick spines. Antenna ( Fig. 90C View FIGURE 90 ) much stouter than that of female; free endopodal segment as long as wide, armed with 8 setae plus terminal claw, longerthan segment.

Labrum as in female. Mandible ( Fig. 90D View FIGURE 90 ) with 5 equal teeth on coxal gnathobase; basis with large, globular outer proximal swelling; 5 setae on exopod equal in length; endopod with 2 and 8 setaeonfirst and second segments, respectively. Maxillule ( Fig. 90E View FIGURE 90 ) different from that of female in having 2 setae on first endopodal segment; second proximal seta on basis larger than other 3 setae. Maxilla as in female. Maxilliped ( Fig. 90F View FIGURE 90 ) with 7 (3+4) setaeonfirst segment.

Leg 1 asin female. Legs 2–4 ( Figs. 90G View FIGURE 90 , 91A, B View FIGURE 91 ) with rami broader and shorter than in female; terminal spine on third exopodal segment of each leg much longer than other spines. Distal endopodal segment of legs 2 and 3 armed with 3 spines and 5 setae. Distal endopodal segment leg 4 armed with 4 spines and 3 setae. Armature formula for legs 2–4 as follows:

Leg 2	0-1	1-0	I-1; I-0; III, I, 4	0-1; I, II, 5
Leg 3	0-0	1-0	I-1; I-0; III, I, 3	0-1; I, II, 5
Leg 4	0-0	1-0	I-0; I-0; III, I, 2	0-1; I, III, 3

Leg 5 with 2 rows of minute spinules on medial surface, otherwise similartothatof female. Leg 6 represented by 2 naked setae on genital operculum.

Remarks. It is uncertain whether N. micropterus is a distinct species or merely a form of N. auritus . Our female specimens possess short wing-like extensions on the first to third pedigerous somites, as figured by Sars (1921), and on this evidence we tentatively identify them as N. micropterus . However, as stated above, this whole cluster of species is in urgent need of revision to determine the validity of the nominal species.