Murunducaris juneae, new genus, new species (Copepoda: Harpacticoida: Parastenocarididae) from a wet campo in central Brazil

Reid J. W. ¹
J.Crustacean Biol., 14 (4): 771-781 (1994)

ABSTRACT

Specimens of a new parastenocaridid copepod were collected from a murundu mound and nearby soil in the central Brazilian highlands. Principal diagnostic features of Murunducaris juneae, new genus, new species, include, in both sexes, the posterior insertion of the spiniform seta of leg 4 exopodite article 1, and, in the male, the fifth legs with massive, fused basipodites, each with a large subconical terminal spine, and the posteriorly recurved process located on the ventral midline of the fused basipodites. Murunducaris, like some other neotropical parastenocaridid genera, is among the most highly evolved members of the family.
Known patterns of integumental somitic windows in the Parastenocarididae are reviewed, and their possible significance for the systematics of the family is discussed.

1. Department of Invertebrate Zoology, MRC-163, National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560 USA e-mail: reid.janet@nmnh.si.edu

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