New species of benthopelagic copepod Xantharus (Calanoida: Scolecitrichidae) from the upper slope, eastern central New Zealand

Abstract

Xantharus Andronov, 1981 is reported, for the first time from New Zealand, from the upper slope (306 m) off the southeastern coast of North Island (41°04.10′S, 176°22.05′E). Xantharus cryeri n. sp. females differ from the three known species by a combination of characters: antennules that extend to the distal border of pedigerous somite 2; ancestral segment XVIII of the antennule with 1 seta; mandible basis with 3 setae; maxilla endite 1 with 5 setae; leg 1 basis with inner distal border lined with small spinules; and leg 5 is squat, with all segments as long as wide and the 2 terminal spine‐like extensions of the terminal segment approximately as long as the articulated, inner, subterminal spine.

Key words:

• Copepoda
• Calanoida
• benthopelagic
• Scolecitrichidae
• new species
• Xantharus cryeri n. sp.
• New Zealand