Description:-

Female: Body greatly elongated and cylindrical. Head longer than wide, with prominent cephalic process (a swollen base tipped with a nipple-like protrusion) at each anterolateral corner. Neck region formed by first pediger, remaining prosomal somites fused into a long, cylindrical trunk. Genital double somite indistinguishably fused to trunk, carrying a central vermiform process on ventral side. Abdomen like a narrow ring attached to genital double somite. Caudal ramus a pointed spiniform process carrying three setae and one tubercle. Antennule with inflated base and cylindrical tip; armature being (from proximal to distal ) 1-1-2-1-7. Antenna two-segmented; terminal segment an uncinate hook. Labrum with smooth posterior margin. Mandible two-segmented. Maxilla two-segmented; first segment robust but unarmed; second segment bearing one small, simple, basal seta, one large seta with hyaline tip and a row of seven to nine teeth along inner edge of terminal process. Maxilliped three-segmented; first segment largest but unarmed, second segment expanded distally with enlarged inner corner armed with two patches of denticles, and terminal segment reduced to a small claw attached to non-swollen outer distal corner of second segment. Leg 1 with greatly enlarged, process-like protopod carrying an outer basal seta and much reduced knob-like rami. Endopod unarmed, but exopod tipped with five short setae, four terminal and one subterminal. Leg 2 biramous; protopod largely fused to trunk and only identifiable by its outer, basal seta. Both rami rod-like, with exopod larger than endopod and tipped with four short setae, three terminal and one subterminal. Male: Body cephalosome moderately swollen. Genital somite with prominent ventro-lateral ridges but abdomen small and indistinct. Caudal ramus a spiniform process bearing a medial seta and a ventral tubercle at base. Antennule elongate and cylindrical, with terminal portion set off in a posteroventrally directed knob; armature being 1-1-1-2-8. Antenna a strongly recurved hook bearing an inner setule. Mandible with fewer teeth on terminal blade, 14 on convex side and seven to eight or concave side. Paragnath a spinulose lobe. Maxillule with two terminal elements. Maxilla with seven teeth on inner surface of terminal process. Maxilliped with much reduced, terminal claw visible in lateral view only. Leg 1 reduced to a seta and a tiny knob tipped with two setules and a small tubercle, or only two setules.

Threats:-

Not recorded

Remark:-

Parasitic copepod infesting the flatfish Cynoglossus dubius. Reported from Kerala by Ho et al. (2000).

Habitat:-

Marine, parasitic

Synonyms:-

References:-

Ho, JS; Kim, IH and Biju Kumar, A. (2000). Chondracanthid copepods parasitic on flatfishes of Kerala, India. Journal Of Natural History, 34(5): 709-735.
Image Courtesy: Ho et al. (2000) and Taylor and Francis.