First record of Clausidium (Copepoda, Clausidiidae) from Brazil: a new species associated with ghost shrimps Neocallichirus grandimana (Gibbes, 1850) (Decapoda, Callianassidae)

Abstract

A new clausidiid copepod was found living in galleries of ghost shrimps Neocallichirus grandimana (Gibbes, 1850) in Natal, Brazil. The new species resembles to Clausidium senegalense Humes, 1957 and C. vancouverense (Haddon, 1912) in the armature of P2–P5 of the female, and shares with C. senegalense similar segmentation and armature of the antenna and maxilla of the female. Nevertheless, it can be easily distinguished from its congeners by the unique characteristics observed in the antenna, maxilliped and first leg of males, as well as by the anal somite, maxillule and maxilliped of the females. This new species extends the group distribution to the Southwest Atlantic and represents the first record of the genus in Brazil. A key for the identification of the species based on females of Clausidium is provided.