Four new Cyclopina (Copepoda, Cyclopinidae) from South Korea

Abstract

Copepods are well studied in South Korea, with the exception of marine non-parasitic cyclopoids, and especially cyclopinids; only three species were found so far here, and only one of them is endemic. A survey of intertidal interstitial faunas from sandy beaches revealed four endemic members of the genus Cyclopina Claus, 1863, which represents the first record of the largest cyclopinid genus in South Korea. A detailed study of their morphology revealed numerous differences, including in rarely studied cuticular organs. Some of these micro-characters could easily be homologised and showed little intraspecific variability, which might prove invaluable for matching sexes and reconstructing phylogenetic relationships. Cyclopina busanensissp. nov. is described from both sexes collected near Busan (South Coast of South Korea), and is most similar to the only congener from Japan: C. kiraensis Horomi, 1984. Cyclopina koreanasp. nov. is described from both sexes collected near Gangneung (East Coast), and has no close relatives among currently known species. Cyclopina curtijejusp. nov. is described from two females from Jeju (off South Coast); it is possibly closely related to C. smirnovi Herbst, 1982, but the latter is known from a single male from the Russian Far East. Cyclopina widosp. nov. is described from both sexes from Wido (West Coast), and shows numerous reductions in segmentation and armature of appendages, most of them probably a consequence of its diminutive size. A table of 26 discrete and continuous characters commonly used in the taxonomy of this group is provided for 48 valid species and subspecies of Cyclopina.