Forficatocaris odeteae n. sp., a new parastenocarididae (copepoda, harpacticoida) from a high-altitude pond in Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

Abstract

A new species of harpacticoid copepod, genus Forficatocaris (F. odeteae n. sp.) is described from a high-altitude pond at the Itacolomi National Park near Ouro Preto city, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The main characters distinguishing the new species from F. affinis Dussart, 1983 and F. lilianae Noodt, 1972 are: (i) distal portion of exopod 1 of male leg 4 with stout spinules; (ii) male leg 5 lateral spine stout and with blunt apex; (iii) endopod of leg 4 curved outwards, but “c” shaped (not forming a straight angle); (iv) female with dorsal spinule row on anal somite larger than in congeners, ventral ornaments smaller and less numerous; and (v) the shape of the modified spine located at the leg 1 endopod 1 of the male; and (vi) the spine of leg 5 in males and females.