Description of Elthusa aquabio sp. n. (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cymothoidae), a branchial fish parasitic isopod from Indian waters
Author
Aneesh, Panakkool Thamban
Author
Helna, Ameri Kottarathil
Author
Raj, Smrithy
Author
Kumar, Appukuttannair Biju
text
Journal of Natural History
2023
2023-08-17
57
21 - 24
1193
1205
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2023.2242099
journal article
10.1080/00222933.2023.2242099
1464-5262
Genus
Elthusa
Schioedte and Meinert, 1884
Elthusa
,
Schioedte and Meinert 1884: 337
. –
Bruce 1990: 254
. –
Trilles and Randall 2011: 453– 454
. –
Hadfield
et al
. 2017: 125–135
. –
van der Wal
et al
. 2019: 3
. –
Aneesh
et al
. 2020a: 2
.
Type
species.
Livoneca emarginata
Bleeker, 1857
.
Remarks.
Aneesh
et al
. (2020a)
provided a detailed generic diagnosis based on the
syntype
specimen of the type species examined by J.P. Trilles and the description of the same provided by
Trilles and Randall (2011)
. Based on the revised generic diagnosis, 13 species previously included in the genus
Elthusa
are currently retained in
Elthusa
, but as
incertae sedis
, as their characters do not fit the genus. The following combinations of characters distinguish the genus
Elthusa
: having a weakly vaulted pereion; wide pleon with all pleonites wide; antennulae shorter than or subequal in length to antennae with their bases not in contact; cephalon posterior margin that is not trilobed; coxae equal size on both sides; coxae 5–7 flat and broader than anterior coxae (2–4); coxae 6–7 equal to pereonite or extending beyond, overlapping the lateral margin of pleonites; mandible palp slender, article 3 or 2 and 3 with distolateral spines setae; pereopods with relatively short dactylus; uropods short, not reaching the posterior margin of pleotelson. For a detailed comparison of
Elthusa
with other branchial cymothoid genera, see
Aneesh
et al
. (2020a)
.