Thalamocyclops pachypes gen. nov., sp. nov. (Copepoda: Cyclopoida: Cyclopidae), a crevicular cyclopine from Socotra Island (Yemen): tale of a remarkable survival drive

ABSTRACT

A new cyclopine copepod, Thalamocyclops pachypes sp. nov. was found to roam the crevicular residence of the semi-terrestrial brachyuran crab Socotra pseudocardisoma living on the Diksam limestone plateau of Socotra Island (Yemen). The remarkable morphology of the antennules, maxilliped and the inflated legs 4 and 5 justified the erection of a separate copepod genus, Thalamocyclops gen. nov. Re-examination of the previously described Bryocyclops soqotraensis revealed striking resemblances, which prompted the reallocation of it to the new genus: Thalamocyclops soqotraensis comb. nov. The description of the latter is emended. Besides the adult morphology, the copepod development of T. pachypes sp. nov. is described and some information on the naupliar stages is provided.The particular body shape, the highly specialized mouthparts and the uniquely engulfed metasomal somites and legs of T. pachypes sp. nov. appear to be related to its feeding and reproductive strategies in a most particular habitat in which drastic temporal and long-term changes occur.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid/zoobank.org.pub:9ADC9001-1B11-4843-9A49-4B94675DFB33

KEYWORDS:

• Copepoda
• Cyclopoida
• development
• epikarst
• functional morphology
• microclimate
• microcosms
• Socotra

Acknowledgements

Michael Apel, Director of the Museum of Man and Nature, München (Germany) is gratefully acknowledged for placing the sample containing the here described species at the disposal of Kay Van Damme. Henri J. Dumont (University of Ghent, Belgium and Jinan University, Guangzhou, China) is acknowledged for bringing these intriguing animals to the attention of the senior author. We also thank Michel Clément (Swedish Museum of Natural History) and Diana Galassi (University d’Aquila) for their comments and suggestions on a preliminary version of the manuscript.Thanks also to EPA Socotra (Yemen) and to P. De Geest for personal comments on the karstic environment in Socotra. KVD thanks the UNEP-GEF Socotra Project (Project ID 5347) on Conservation and Sustainable Development, supporting the continuation of contributions to the biodiversity and conservation of the Socotra Archipelago.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.