ANCORABOLIDAE Sars, 1909


The family Ancorabolidae is one of the most peculiar and striking taxon within the harpacticoid copepods, esily identifiable by the characteristic morphology and the conspicuous body processes and integumental outgrowths (George, 2000; Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000).

The family containing 2 subfamilies, Laophontodinae and Ancorabolinae (George, 1998). Ancorabolinae are only rarely found, and their distribution seems to be restricted primarily to the northern hemisphere, with exception of Echinocletodes, 2 species of which have been reported by Dinet (1974) from deep-sea waters off southwestern Africa.

Most representatives of the family, particularly those belonging to the subfamily Ancorabolinae, inhabit primarily muddy bottoms of deep sea, as well as the can be found in different kinds of littoral and sublittoral habitats, including phytal and sandy substrates, from both the northern and southern hemisphere (Milke, 1985, 1986; Fiers, 1988; George, 2000 ).

"Ancorabolidae were considered to be a paraphyletic group that requires extensive re-evaluation, additionally including at least the Cletodidae and Laophontidae T. Scott, 1905. Similarly when comparing Echinocletodes with the two ancorabolid subfamilies, Ancorabolinae Sars, 1909 and Laophontodinae Lang, 1944, it was revealed that many species are apparently distributed chaotically over several supraspecific taxa (at least Ancorabolidae and Cletodidae) instead of forming monophyla" (from: George & Muller 2015


SUBFAMILY LAOPHONTODINAE Lang, 1944


LAOPHONTODES T. Scott, 1894

Merope Thomson, 1882 ; Meropia Wilson C.B., 1932 (synonyms)

The genus Laophontodes is characterized by 3 outer setae on the terminal exp segment of P2– P4; presence of 2-segmented endopods in females; P1 endopodite prehensile; bases of P2–P4 transversely elongated


  • Laophontodes antarcticus Brady. 1918 *
  • Laophontodes armatus Lang, 1936 [Bermuda, Falklands; marine] (= Paralaophontodes armatus (Lang, 1936)
  • Laophontodes bicornis T. Scott, 1894 [Europe, north Africa; marine] (=Bicorniphontodes bicornis (Scott A., 1896)
  • Laophontodes echinatus Lang, 1948
  • Laophontodes expansus Sars , 1908 (=Lobopleura expansa (Sars G.O., 1908)
  • Laophontodes gertraudae George, 2018 [UK ]
  • Laophontodes georgei Lee & Huys, 2019
  • Laophontodes gracilipes Lang, 1948 (=Rostrophontodes gracilipes (Lang, 1936)
  • Laophontodes hamatus (Thomson, 1882) (=Bicorniphontodes hamatus (Thomson G.M., 1883)
  • Laophontodes hegpethi Lang, 1965 [USA; marine] (=Paralaophontodes hedgpethi (Lang, 1965)
  • Laophontodes horstgeorgeae George & Gheerardyn, 2015 [Fiji Islands] (= )
  • Laophontodes macclintocki Schizas & Shirley, 1994 [Antarctic Sea]
  • Laophontodes macropodia Gee & Flegeer, 2008 [Antartica] (=Calypsophontodes macropodia (Gee & Fleeger, 1986)
  • Laophontodes monsmaris George, 2018 [UK ]
  • Laophontodes mourois Arroyo, George, Benito & Maldonado, 2003 [Spain; marine]
  • Laophontodes norvegicus George, 2018 [UK ] (=Laophontodes georgei Lee & Huys, 2019)
  • Laophontodes ornatus Krishnaswamy, 1957 [India; marine] (= )
  • Laophontodes propinquus Brady, 1910
  • Laophontodes psammophilus Soyer, 1975 [Kerguelen; mesopsammon] (=Paralaophontodes psammophilus (Soyer, 1975)
  • Laophontodes robustus Bozic, 1064 (?)
  • Laophontodes sabinageorgeae George & Gheerardyn, 2015 [Chile]
  • Laophontodes sarsi George, 2018 [UK ]
  • Laophontodes spongiosus Schizas & Shirley, 1994 [Antarctic Sea]
  • Laophontodes scottorum George, 2018 [UK]
  • Laophontodes typicus T. Scott, 1894 [north Europe; marine]
  • Laophontodes volkerlehmanskii George et al, 2020 [Indian Ocean]
  • Laophontodes withsoni T. Scott, 1912 [Europe; marine]

    KEY TO SPECIES
    * INCERTAE SEDIS


    CALYPSOPHONTODES Gheerardyn & Lee, 2012

  • Calypsophontodes macropodia (Gee & Fleeger, 1986) [Antarctic Sea]
  • Calypsophontodes latissima (Brady, 1918)


    PARALAOPHONTODES Lang, 1944

  • Paralaophontodes anjae George, 2017 [Chile]
  • Paralaophontodes armatus George, 2017 [Chile]
  • Paralaophontodes echinatus (Willey, 1930) [Bermuda, Falklands; marine] *
  • Paralaophontodes elegans Baldari & Cottarelli, 1986 [Philippines; marine interstitial]
  • Paralaophontodes exopoditus Mielke, 1981 [Galapagos; marine interstitial]
  • Paralaophontodes hedgpethi (Lang, 1965)
  • Paralaophontodes psammophilus (Soyer, 1975)

    * syn. Laophontodes robustus Bozic, 1964; Paralaophontodes robustus sensu Bodin, 1967

    KEY TO SPECIES


    PATAGONIAELLA Pallares, 1968

  • Patagoniaella vervoorti Pallares, 1968 [Patagonia; marine]


    TAPHLOLAOPHONTODES Soyer, 1975

  • Taphlolaophontodes laurenceae Bodiou & Colomines, 1988 [Kerguelen; mesopsammon]
  • Taphlolaophontodes remotus Cottarelli & Baldari, 1987 [Macquarie Island; marine interstitial]
  • Taphlolaophontodes rollandi Soyer, 1975 [Kerguelen; mesopsammon]


    ALGENSIELLA Cottarelli & Baldari, 1987

  • Algensiella boitanii Cottarelli & Baldari, 1987 [Macquarie Island; marine interstitial]
  • Algensiella laurenceae (Bodiou & Colomines, 1988)


    LOBOPLEURA Conroy-Dalton, 2004

  • Lobopleura ambiducti Conroy-Dalton, 2004 [Scotland; sandy beach]
  • Lobopleura expansa (Sars, 1908) [north Europe; marine]
  • Lobopleura multispinata (Kornev & Chertoprud, 2008)


    PROBOSCIPHONTODES Fiers, 1988

    "Probosciphontodes n. gen. is a unique genus in the family Ancorabolidae because of the absence of endopodites in the PTP4. Other ancorabolid genera such as Paralaophontodes LANG, Tapholaophontodes SaYER and Algensiella COTTARELLI & BALDARI are characterized by reduced endopodal segments, but always have at least one endopodite present. Probosciphontodes n. gen. is also distinct from the other ancorabolid genera by its strongly depressed body-shape and the particularly long lateral extensions of the pleural areas" (from Fiers, 1988)

  • Probosciphontodes ptenopostica Fiers, 1988 [Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinee]
  • Probosciphontodes stellata Fiers, 1988 [Grande Comore]


    DIMORPHIPODIA Lee & Huys, 2019

  • Dimorphipodia changi Lee & Huys, 2019 [Korea]


    ROSTROPHONTODES Lee & Huys, 2019

  • Rostrophontodes gracilipes (Lang, 1936b) [Korea]


    SUBFAMILY ANCORABOLINAE Sars, 1909

    "The Ancorabolinae Sars, 1909 (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Ancorabolidae Sars, 1909) includes five genera, namely, Ancorabolus Norman, 1903, Arthropsyllus Sars, 1909, Breviconia Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000, Juxtaramia Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000, and Uptionyx Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000 (George 2020). The genus Breviconia was established by Conroy-Dalton & Huys (2000) to accommodate Arthropsyllus australis George, 1998, which was described by George (1998) from the Beagle Channel (Magellan Region, Chile). Furthermore, Conroy-Dalton & Huys (2000) placed Laophontodes echinata Brady, 1918, from the high Antarctic into Breviconia as a species inquirenda because Brady (1918) provided only a fragmentary, imprecise description and the type material was lost, so neither reexamination nor redescription of that species was possible (cf. Conroy-Dalton & Huys 2000: 373). Consequently, Breviconia is characterized this far by the features present in B. australis, thus actually resembling a monotypic genus" (from: Garlitska et al., 2022 .

    Recently Conroy-Dalton & Huys (2000) recognized an "Ancorabolus-group" within the subfamily Ancorabolinae, including Ancorabolus, Arthropsyllus and three new genera : Breviconia, Juxtaramia and Uptionyx.

    The common ancestry of the above genera "is supported by antennular segmentation, rostral morphology, cephalothoracic sensillar patterns, presence of lateral body processes, elongation of P1 endopod, segmentation of male P3 endopod and P5 armature in both sexes" (Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000; Gomez & Conroy-Dalton, 2002).

    More recently Conroy-Dalton (2003) reviewed the systematics and phylogeny of the family Ancorabolidae, adding Dendropsyllus as new genus.


    ANCORABOLUS Norman, 1903

  • Ancorabolus chironi Schulz & George, 2010 [Mediterranean; meiobenthos]
  • Ancorabolus confusus Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000 [Norway; marine deep mud] (Ancorabolus mirabilis Norman, 1903 sensu Sars (1909))
  • Ancorabolus hendrickxi Gomez & Conroy-Dalton, 2002
  • Ancorabolus ilvae George, 2001 [Magellan Straits] (sp. inquirenda)
  • Ancorabolus inermis Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000 [Norway; marine deep mud]
  • Ancorabolus mirabilis Norman, 1903 [north Europe; marine]

    Phylogenetic analysis of Ancorabolus-group


    ARTHROPSYLLUS Sars, 1909

  • Arthropsyllus australis K. H. George, 1998 [Chile; marine]
  • Arthropsyllus serratus Sars, 1909 [Europe; marine]
  • Arthropsyllus serratus var. spinifera Norman, 1911 [Scotland; marine]


    TOUPHAPLEURA Conroy-Dalton, 2001

  • Touphapleura schminkei (George, 1998)


    ANCORABOLINA George, 2006

  • Ancorabolina chimaera George, 2006
  • Ancorabolina belgicae Gheerardyn & George, 2010 [north-east Atlantic]
  • Ancorabolina galeata Gheerardyn & George, 2010 [north-east Atlantic]
  • Ancorabolina divasecunda Gheerardyn & George, 2010 [north-east Atlantic]
  • Ancorabolina anaximenesi Gheerardyn & George, 2010 [north-east Atlantic]
  • Ancorabolina cavernicola George & Tilotack, 2009 [Mediterranean; submarine cave]

    | KEY TO WORLD SPECIES OF ANCORABOLINA |


    BREVICONIA Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000

  • Breviconia andrei Garlitska et al., 2022
  • Breviconia australis (George, 1998) [Chile; marine]
  • Breviconia echinata (Brady, 1918) [Antarctic Ocean]


    JUXTARAMIA Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000

  • Juxtaramia polaris Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000 [Norway; marine]


    UPTIONYX Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000

  • Uptionyx verenae Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000 [Northeastern Pacific]


    ECHINOPSYLLUS Sars, 1909

  • Echinopsyllus normani Sars, 1909 [north Europe; marine]
  • Echinopsyllus brasiliensis Wondness et al. 2009 [Brazil; fresh waters]
  • Echinopsyllus nogueirae Wondness et al. 2009 [Brazil; fresh waters]
  • Echinopsyllus grohmannuae Wondness et al. 2009 [Brazil; fresh waters]


    CERATONOTUS Sars, 1909

  • Ceratonotus antarcticus George & Schminke, 1988 [Chile] (=Dendropsyllus antarcticus (George & Schminke, 1998)
  • Ceratonotus coineaui Soyer, 1964 [France; marine]
  • Ceratonotus concavus Conroy-Dalton, 2003 [Mediterranean; marine] (=Tauroceratus concavus (Conroy-Dalton, 2003)
  • Ceratonotus elongatus Gomez & Diaz, 2017 [California]
  • Ceratonotus magellanicus George & Schminke, 1988 [Chile] (=Dendropsyllus magellanicus (George & Schminke, 1998)
  • Ceratonotus pectinatus Conroy-Dalton, 2003 [Norway; marine]
  • Ceratonotus thistlei Conroy-Dalton, 2003 [North Pacific Ocean]
  • Ceratonotus pectinatus Sars, 1909 [Norway; marine coastal waters]
  • Ceratonotus pectinatus Sars elaphus Por, 1965 [Europe; marine]
  • Ceratonotus steiningeri George, 2006 (=Tauroceratus steiningeri (George, 2006)
  • Ceratonotus tauroides George, 2006 (=Tauroceratus tauroides (George, 2006)
  • Ceratonotus thistlei Conroy-Dalton, 2003
  • Ceratonotus vareschii George, 2006 (=Tauroceratus vareschii (George, 2006)


    ARTHURICORNUA Conroy-Dalton, 2001

  • Arthuricornua anendopodia Conroy-Dalton, 2001 [Northeastern Pacific]


    ECHINOCLETODES Lang, 1936

  • Echinocletodes voightae George & Muller, 2013 [SE Atlantic]
  • Echinocletodes armatus Lang, 1948


    DORSICERATUS Drzycimski, 1967

  • Dorsiceratus dinah George, 2009 [Northeastern Atlantic]
  • Dorsiceratus octocornis Drzycimski, 1967 [Norway; marine]
  • Dorsiceratus triarticulatus Coull, 1973 [USA; marine]
  • Dorsiceratus wilhelminae George, 2009 [Northeastern Atlantic]
  • Dorsiceratus ursulae George, 2006 [?; ?]


    POLYASCOPHORUS George, 1998

    "The genus Polyascophorus was established by George (1998) to allocate new taxa collected from the Arctic (P. martinezi George, 1998) and the Antarctic (P. schminkei George, 1998), and totransfer the former Ceratonotus gorbunovi (Smirnov, 1946) into this genus. Subsequently, Conroy-Dalton (2001) erected the genus Touphapleura Conroy-Dalton, 2001, transferring P. schminkei into this taxon as Touphapleura schminkei (George, 1998)" (from:. George et al., 2012 )


  • Polyascophorus martinezi George, 1998 [Barents Sea]
  • Polyascophorus monoceratus George et al., 2012 [Brazil; campos basins] (syn. Pseudopolyascophorus monoceratus (George et al., 2013)
  • Polyascophorus schminkei George, 1998 [Barents Sea]
  • Polyascophorus gorbunovi (Smirnov, 1946) [Arctic Ocean]


    DENDROPSYLLUS Conroy-Dalton, 2003

  • Dendropsyllus thomasi Conroy-Dalton, 2003 [North Pacific Ocean]
  • Dendropsyllus antarcticus (George & Schminke, 1998) [Weddell Sea, Antarctic]
  • Dendropsyllus kimi Lee & Huys, 2019 [Korea]
  • Dendropsyllus magellanicus (George & Schminke, 1998) [Chile; marine]
  • Dendropsyllus californiensis Gomez & Diaz, 2017 [California]


    THIELIELLA Schriever, 1982

  • Thieliella endopodita Schriever, 1982
  • Thieliella nordatlantica Schriever, 1982


    PSEUDECHINOPSYLLUS George, 2006

  • Pseudechinopsyllus sindemarkae George, 2006 [?; ?]


    BICORNIPHONTODES George et al., 2019

  • Bicorniphontodes hamatus (Thomson G.M., 1883
  • Bicorniphontodes bicornis George et al.,, 2019 Egypt] comb. nov.
  • Bicorniphontodes clarae George et al., 2019 [Red Sea; Egypt]
  • Bicorniphontodes comptus Kim et al., 2021 [Korea]
  • Bicorniphontodes horsthgeorgei (George & Gheerardyn, 2015
  • Bicorniphontodes lacuna Kim et al., 2021 [Korea]
  • Bicorniphontodes huysi Kim et al., 2021 [Korea]
  • Bicorniphontodes ornatus (Krishnaswamy, 1957


    REVISION OF THE FAMILY LAOPHONTIDAE

    KEY TO GENERA OF ANCORABOLINAE


    RELEVANT LITERATURE


    Arroyo N. L. , George K. H , Benito J. & M. Maldonado. 2003. A new species of Ancorabolidae (Copepoda, Harpacticoida) from the northern coast of Spain: Laophontodes mourois sp. n. Hydrobiologia 498: 169–176.

    Conroy-Dalton S. & R. Huys. 2000. Systematics and phylogeny of the Ancorabolidae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida). I. The Ancorabolus-lineage, with the description of three new genera. Cah. Biol. Mar., 41: 343-397.

    Conroy-Dalton S. 2003. Systematics and Phylogeny of the Ancorabolidae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida). III. Description of two new species of Ceratonotus Sars and Dendropsyllus, new genus. J. Crust. Biol., 23 (1): 69-93

    George K.H. , 2020, Restructuring the Ancorabolidae Sars (Copepoda, Harpacticoida) and Cletodidae T. Scott, with a new phylogenetic hypothesis regarding the relationships of the Laophontoidea T. Scott, Ancorabolidae and Cletodidae. Zoosyst. Evol. 96 (2) 2020, 455–498

    George K.H. 1998. A new species of Ancorabolidae (Copepoda, Harpacticoida) from the Belgian Channel (Chile). Hydrobiologia, 379: 23-32.

    George K.H. 1998. Polyascophorus, a new genus of Ancorabolidae (Crustacea, Copepoda), including the description of two new species and the re-allocation of Ceratonotus gorbunovi. Vie et Milieu, 48 (3): 141-155.

    George et al., 2013. A news species of Ancorabolidae (Crustacea: Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from the Campos Basin,Brazil, including a phylogenetic review of the taxon Polyascophorus George, 1998, and a key to its species. Zoologischer Anzeiger 252: 20–33

    Gomez S. & S. Conroy-Dalton. 2002. Description of Ancorabolus hendrickxi sp.nov. (Copepoda: Harpacticoida: Ancorabolidae) from the neotropics and notes on caudal ramus development within oligoarthran harpacticoids. Cah. Biol.Mar., 43: 111-129.

    Lee & Huys, 2019. New Ancorabolidae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from Korea: two new genera, revisionary notes and updated identification keys. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2019, XX, 1–47



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