Amphiascus kawamurai, a New Harpacticoid Copepod (Crustacea: Harpacticoida: Miraciidae) from Nori Cultivation Tanks in Japan, with a Redescription of the Closely Related A. parvus

Abstract

A new harpacticoid copepod, Amphiascus kawamurai sp. nov., is described from a tank for nori (laver) cultivation on the shore of Ariake Bay, Japan. This species belongs to the pacificus-group of Amphiascus and is most closely related to A. parvus Sars, 1906, which is briefly redescribed based on Sars' original material. The two species are distinguishable by spinules on the genital double-somite and by leg 5 of the female. Specimens previously described as A. parvus from the Red Sea and Argentina are shown to be not identical to Sars' A. parvus. The new species is the second member of the genus from Japan.