Elthusawinstoni sp. n. (Isopoda, Cymothoidae), a new fish parasitic isopod from Hawaii
Author
Hadfield, Kerry A.
Author
Tuttle, Lillian J.
Author
Smit, Nico J.
text
ZooKeys
2017
661
125
135
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.661.11251
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.661.11251
1313-2970-661-125
5BD8A826DA7D4C70A078290ED7B600AA
Genus
Elthusa Schioedte & Meinert, 1884
Elthusa
Schioedte & Meinert, 1884: 337.-
Bruce 1990
: 254.-
Trilles 1994
: 164.-
Trilles and Randall 2011
: 453-454.
Type species.
Livoneca emarginata
Bleeker, 1857, by monotypy (
Schioedte and Meinert 1884
).
Remarks.
Diagnostic characters for
Elthusa
include a weakly vaulted body; pleonite 1 as wide as or slightly narrower than pleonite 2; posterior margin of cephalon not trilobed; wide pleon; antennula shorter than antenna, bases not in contact (varying from close together to wide apart); and pleopods all simple, lamellar. A revised diagnosis of the genus was provided by
Bruce (1990)
as well as
Trilles and Randall (2011)
.
Elthusa
can be regarded as one of the most morphologically varied cymothoid genera, with many
Elthusa
species still requiring detailed study and redescription. The antennula position (being close together or far apart), shape of the cephalon anterior margin, as well as the width of the pleon and pleonite 5 are some of the varying characters noted within species of this genus (
Bruce 1990
). This variation can cause confusion in genus identifications and may lead to incorrect species placement if not taken into account with all of the other genus characters.