Two new species of the genus Caligus (Crustacea, Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida) from the Sea of Japan, with a note on the establishment of a new species group

Abstract

Two new species of Caligus are described from the Japanese coast of the Sea of Japan. Caligus chinglonglini sp. nov. is based on a male specimen found in a plankton sample, whereas C. kajii sp. nov. was collected from the body surface of the host flathead Platycephalus sp. These two new species can be assigned to a distinct species group, the pseudorhombi group newly named and defined by the morphology of the genital complex in both sexes, and by the structure and armature of legs 2 and 4. The species group so far accommodates 19 species including these two new species. The morphology, host specificity and zoogeography of the species group are discussed herein and keys to species groups of Caligus and to species of the C. pseudorhombi species group are provided.