A new species of Lernaeenicus (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida) from southern Africa

Abstract

The pennellid genus Lernaeenicus Le Sueur, 1824 is a small group of approximately 26 nominal species. Of these, only one, i.e. L gonostomae Kensley & Grindley, 1973 has been recorded from the southern African coast. The present study has shown that another species occurs further south in the Indian ocean, in the vicinity of the Kowie River estuary in the Cape Province, South Africa. This species can be distinguished from all existing species and is described below.