Copepods (Crustacea) of Family Lamippidae Parasitic in Octocorals (Cnidaria) from Korea

Copepods (Crustacea) of Family Lamippidae Parasitic in Octocorals (Cnidaria) from Korea

One new genus and 10 new species of the family Lamippidae are described as parasites of octocorallian corals from Korean waters. The newly described taxa include Gudogius pelagicus n. gen. n. sp., Lamippella merista n. sp., Lamippella bulbosa n. sp., Lamippula radicata n. sp., Lamippula bisetata n. sp., Lamippula bifurcata n. sp., Enalcyonium granulatum n. sp., E. lobiferum n. sp., E. paraciliatum n. sp., and E. littorale n. sp. Gudogius n. gen., a primitive lamippid genus parasitic on the pennatuloid Balticina willemoesi (Kölliker, 1880), is characterized by the four-segmented antenna, the well-developed maxilla, the two-segmented female maxilliped, uniramous legs 1-4, and the well-developed male maxilliped. Enalcyonium digitigerum Ho, 1984 is redescribed based on newly collected Korean material. The acicule and digitation (digitiform seta) of caudal rami, which have previously been considered important taxonomic characters in defining genera of the Lamippidae, are reconsidered for their taxonomic value, since the acicule is found to be a sporadic outgrowth discharged from inside the body rather than a consistent morphological entity and the digitation may originate from a normal seta by cutting off its distal part within a lamippid individual.