Y. Ranga Reddy

Habrobathynella nagarjunai n. sp., the second representative of Bathynellacea (Crustacea, Syncarida) from groundwaters of South India

A new species of the genus Habrobathynella Schminke, 1973, i.e. H. nagarjunai n.sp., is described from the groundwater of the Nagarjuna University campus near Guntur town, South India. One of the principal criteria in the original definition of Habrobathynella is amended to accommodate the new species. H. nagarjunai n.sp. differs from its three congeners, i.e. H. milloti (Delamare & Paulian, 1954), H. jeanneli (Delamare & Paulian, 1954) from Madagascar, and H. schminkei Reddy, 2002 from India, in several essential morphological details: the sympodite of uropod bears 8–10 similar spines; the apophysis on segment 4 of the antennule is short; of the two setae on the exopodite of uropod, one is apical and the other subapical in position; the basal segment of maxilla has three unequal setae; the male thoracopod VIII is relatively elongate. H. nagarjunai n. sp. is the second representative of the groundwater (eustygobiont) Bathynellacea in South Asia. Furthermore, a key to the identification of Habrobathynella spp. is given.

A NEW BATHYNELLID FROM INDIA WITH UNUSUAL MOUTHPARTS (BATHYNELLACEA: BATHYNELLIDAE)

Abstract Serbanibathynella primaindica gen. n., sp. n. is described from India. It is the sister taxon of the genus Nannobathynella Noodt, 1969. The most spectacular apomorphic feature is the mandible, which has no gnathobase. Only three teeth persist on the first segment of the palp, which is subequal to the second segment in length. Both are equipped with strong musculature, and there is a joint between them allowing a backward swing of the terminal part of the palp. This joint is unique within Bathynellidae. Only Agnathobathynella ecclesi Schminke, 1980, can rival the new species in the specialization of mouthparts. The new species is the fifth species of Bathynellidae described from the tropics.

Redescription and/or remarks on four species of Pseudodiaptomus Herrick (Copepoda: Calanoida) from South India

In a study of the copepod fauna of the River Krishna and Lake Kolleru, four species of the genus Pseudodiaptomus Herrick, 1884 were encountered. They are: P. binghami Sewell, 1912 from both the river and lake, P. hickmani Sewell, 1912, P. tollingerae Sewell, 1919 and P. annandalei Sewell, 1919 from the lake. P. binghami and P. hickmani are redescribed. P. binghami malayalus Wellershaus, 1969 is accorded full species status. P. tollingerae and P. annandalei are provided with detailed illustrations, and mention has been made of such morphological features and/ or variation as are not hitherto documented. Distribution records are provided for all four species.

A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE FAMILY DIOSACCIDAE (COPEPODA: HARPACTICOIDA) FROM THE GROUNDWATERS OF INDIA

Abstract The recent renewed interest in the Indian stygofauna has led to the discovery of another interesting copepod representative, from the almost exclusively marine family Diosaccidae Sars, 1906. Neomiscegenus n. gen. and Neomiscegenus indicus n. sp., from the subterranean freshwaters of the Krishna River at Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, are described. The new genus belongs to that evolutionary line of Diosaccidae that encompasses the genera Amphiascoides Nicholls, 1941; Paramphiascella Lang, 1948; Paramphiascoides Wells, 1967; and Miscegenus Wells, Hicks, and Coull, 1982. The genus Miscegenus has the highest number of synapomorphies with Neomiscegenus, including the shape of the caudal rami and the armature formula of the swimming legs. A peculiar shape of the genital field in the female and the armature of the antennal exopod in both sexes are the most important autapomorphies of the new genus, while the fine structure of the sexually dimorphic second leg in the male is probably plesiomorphic. The phylogenetic position of the new genus is briefly discussed.

A note on the Diaptomidae of Thailand, including redescription of three species and description of a new species (Copepoda, Calanoida).

A brief taxonomic review is made of the diaptomid copepods of Thailand. The updated list contains 21 species; the records of some species, however, are unreliable. Neodiaptomus botulifer Kiefer, N. yangtsekiangensis Mashiko, and Allodiaptomus calcarus Shen & Tai are redescribed. The extensive morphologic variability observed in N. botulifer casts serious doubt on the validity of Neodiaptomus malaindosinensis Lai & Fernando; hence the synonymy of these two species is discussed. It is clarified that Lai & Fernando (1981) and others had erroneously identified and/or described N. yangtsekiangensis and A. calcarus as Arctodiaptomus bacillifer (Koelbel) and Neodiaptomus mephistopheles Brehm, respectively, and that the occurrence of the latter two species in Thailand is hardly likely. Mongolodiaptomus uenoi (Kikuchi) and Heliodiaptomus elegan Kiefer are reported for the first time from Thailand. Also included in this paper is an illustrated description of a new species, Allodiaptomus rarus n.sp., which is closely related to A. calcarus Shen & Tai.

Amended delimitation of Mongolodiaptomus against Neodiaptomus and Allodiaptomus and redescription of the little known Mongolodiaptomus uenoi (Kikuchi, 1936) from Thailand (Copepoda: Calanoida: Diaptomidae)

Mongolodiaptomus uenoi (Kikuchi, 1936), a little known diaptomid copepod from Taiwan and Indonesia, is re-described based on specimens from Thailand, and its relationship with its congeners is discussed. To clear up the generic confusion between the closely allied genera Mongolodiaptomus Kiefer, Neodiaptomus Kiefer and Allodiaptomus Kiefer, a new criterion relating to the armature of the second exopodite-segment of the male right P5 is introduced. Accordingly, some dubious species of Neodiaptomus and Allodiaptomus are transferred to Mongolodiaptomus.

Eodiaptomus shihi n. sp. (Copepoda, Calanoida) from central India

Eodiaptomus shihi n. sp. is described from the material collected from Gandhisagar reservoir, River Narmada and a hillpool in the Madhya Pradesh State of central India. The salient features of this new species include: in female, the left metasomal wing is strongly developed, and the endopodite in leg 5 is 2-segmented and longer than first exopodite-segment; in male, the right caudal ramus is armed with a tooth-like chitinous structure near ventro-distal region, and in right leg 5, the basis is devoid of any hyaline lobe on inner margin and the first exopodite-segment is produced into a large spinous process at disto-outer corner.

On the genus Heliodiaptomus Kiefer in India, including the description of a new species (Copepoda, Calanoida)

This paper presents taxonomic remarks and distributional records of the Indian species of the genusHeliodiaptomus Kiefer, including the description ofHeliodiaptomus kolleruensis n.sp. and a redescription ofH. pulcher Gurney. In addition, a key for the identification of males and females of all the species is appended.

A NEW SPECIES OF STENHELIA BOECK (COPEPODA, HARPACTICOIDA) FROM SOUTH INDIA

[Stenhelia (Delavalia) krishnensis sp. nov. wurde im Susswasser des unteren Stromgebietes vom Krishnafluss gefunden. Die neue Art wird ausfuhrlich beschrieben., Stenhelia (Delavalia) krishnensis sp. nov. wurde im Susswasser des unteren Stromgebietes vom Krishnafluss gefunden. Die neue Art wird ausfuhrlich beschrieben.]

Arctodiaptomus (Rhabdodiaptomus) michaeli n.sp. (Copepoda, Calanoida) from Kashmir, India

Arctodiaptomus (Rhabdodiaptomus) michaeli n.sp. is described from the material collected in Alapathar Lake and Marsar Lake of Kashmir, India.