Two species of Caligus (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida) parasitic on fishes from Southern Africa

Abstract

Two species of the siphonostomatoid copepod genus Caligus are described. Caligus mortis Kensley, 1970, collected from the super klipfish Clinus superciliosus (Linnaeus, 1758), rocksucker Chorisochismus dentex (Pallas, 1769), horned blenny Parablennius cornutus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Namibia and South Africa, is redescribed from the holotype and other specimens. In addition, a new species, Caligus saucius, is reported from the blenny Cirripectes castaneus (Valenciennes) collected at Kwazulu Reef, South Africa. It is distinguished from all its congeners by a 1-segmented exopod of leg 4 with only two spines at the tip.

Keywords :

• Siphonostomatoida
• Caligidae
• Caligus
• Parasitic copepod
• Tidepool fishes
• Southern Africa