Prophryxus globicaudatus gen.nov., sp.nov., a hemiarthrinid bopyrid parasite of pontoniinid shrimps of the genus Coralliocaris Stimpson

Abstract

Prophryxus, a new genus of hemiarthrinid bopyrid from Kenya, is described. The only species, P. globicaudatus, is parasitic upon the shrimp Coralliocaris graminea (Dana). Prophryxus is considered to be most closely related to the genus Hemiarthrus Giard & Bonnier, from which it differs in the morphology of the abdominal appendages. It is most remarkable for the presence of a sucker-like organ on the dorsum of the cephalon, a feature unique in the Bopyridae.