Family ECTINOSOMATIDAE Sars, 1903

Museums

Regional Maps

• Ectinosomatidae Sars, G.O. 1903. Copepoda. Harpacticoida. Part I & Part II. Misophriidae, Longipediidae, Cerviniidae, Ectinosomatidae (part). pp. 1-28 in Sars, G.O. (ed.). An Account of the Crustacea of Norway, with short descriptions and figures of all the species. Bergen : Bergen Museum Vol. V 489 pp. [28].

  Type genus:

   Ectinosoma Boeck, 1865.

  Secondary source:

   Lang, K. 1948. Monographie der Harpacticiden. Lund, Sweden : Håkan Ohlssons Boktrycheri 1682 pp. [189]; Boxshall, G.A. & Halsey, S.H. 2004. An Introduction to Copepod Diversity. London : The Ray Society 966 pp. [294].

Introduction

This is a speciose family in need of revision (Boxshall & Halsey 2004). Huys et al. (1996: 155) noted that this is a very difficult family to identify because 'Distinctions between species and genera are often slight and the small mouth parts provide important diagnostic characters'.

There are 20 genera in the family Ectinosomatidae, two of which are recorded for the Australian fauna, each with one species.

Database Notes

From Huys et al. (1996: p. 155): "This is a very difficult family. Distinctions between species and genera are often slight and the small mouth parts provide important diagnostic characters". "Members of this family are very prone to entrapment by surface waters"

The name Ectinosomidae was corrected by C.G. Moore (1978) (noted by Bodin, 1997).

Diagnosis

After Huys et al., 1996
Body. Two basic shapes in dorsal view, either characteristically fusiform with sub-triangular cephalothorax, orcylindrical with a subrectangular cephalothorax in interstitial forms. Dorso-ventrally flattened in Peltobradya. Rostrum usually well developed and not defined at base. No clear distinction between the prosome and the urosome.
Antennule. 5- to 8-segmented in female, distal segmentation often difficult to discern in fusiform species; at most, weakly haplocer in male.
Antenna. With distinct basis. Endopod 2-segmented. Exopod 2- or 3-segmented (except in dubious genus Tetanopsis), distal segment bearing no lateral setae.
Mandible. Basis with 1-segmented rami (rarely exopod absent).
Maxillule. Without coxal epipodite.
Maxilla. Characteristic. Syncoxa with up to three endites. Allobsis very well-developed with distal endopod of one to three short segments (details of which are frequently hard to discern).
Maxilliped. Characteristic. Stenopodial, syncoxa with up to two setae, basis without setae, endopod 1-segmented usually with 4 setae.
P1-P4. Rami usually 3-segmented. P1 exopod-1 without inner seta. Endopod usually unmodified.
P5. P5 characteristic. Baseoendopod with 2 setae on endopodal lobe; exopod generally with 3-4 setae, one of which may be inserted on anterior surface of exopod, or occasionally, on baseoendopod. Sexually dimorphic.
Females with 1 egg-sac. Males with 1 spermatophore.

ID Keys

See Huys et al. (199.6) and Boxshall & Halsey (2004) for keys to the world genera

Diagnosis References

Boxshall, G.A. & Halsey, S.H. 2004. An Introduction to Copepod Diversity. London : The Ray Society 966 pp. [294]

Huys, R., Gee, J.M., Moore, C.G. & Hamond, R. 1996. Marine and Brackish Water Harpacticoid Copepods. Shrewsbury : Field Studies Council Vol. 1 352 pp. [155]

General References

Boxshall, G.A. & Halsey, S.H. 2004. An Introduction to Copepod Diversity. London : The Ray Society 966 pp.

Huys, R., Gee, J.M., Moore, C.G. & Hamond, R. 1996. Marine and Brackish Water Harpacticoid Copepods. Shrewsbury : Field Studies Council Vol. 1 352 pp.

History of changes