Pholadicola-Intestinalis, New Genus and Species, A Clausidiid Copepod Parasitic in A Deep-Burrowing Clam from Texas

Date

1992 Jul

Authors

Ho JS
Wardle WJ

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Abstract

Pholadicola intestinalis is described based on specimens taken from the intestine of the deep-burrowing pholad clam, Cyrtopleura costata (Linne, 1758), collected in the Galveston Bay Estuary, Texas. The new form is closely affiliated with Leptinogaster; however, it can be distinguished from this and other genera of Clausidiidae by having (1) a modified body, (2) both caudal ramus and leg 5 modified into a fleshy process, (3) a ventrally located attachment area for the egg sac, (4) the absence of the maxilliped in the female (represented by a small sclerite) and (5) structurally reduced spines and setae on all legs. This is the first record of a clausidiid copepod living as an internal parasite

Description

37-44

Keywords

PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS

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