Redescription of Elthusa emarginata (Bleeker, 1857) (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cymothoidae), type species of the genus Elthusa Schioedte & Meinert, 1884

Abstract

Elthusa emarginata (Bleeker, 1857) (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cymothoidae), type species of the genus Elthusa Schioedte & Meinert, 1884, is redescribed according to the specimen observed by Schioedte & Meinert (1884) extant in the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, here designated as lectotype, and from some additional specimens collected in Indonesia on goatfishes belonging to the genus Parupeneus (Perciformes, Mullidae). This study allows an updating of the diagnosis of the genus Elthusa.

Keywords:

• Elthusa emarginata
• genus Elthusa
• Parasitic isopod of fishes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to Loreen A. Randall (Bishop Museum) for searching for parasitic isopods in the gill chamber of many specimens of mullid fishes, to the National Museum of Natural History in Paris for loaning us the specimen of the collection and to Dr Danielle Defaye for her help in listing and preserving the additional specimens. Thanks also to Dr Matz Berggren (Subject Editor of Marine Biology Research), Dr G.D.F. Wilson (Australian Museum, Sydney) and to the anonymous referee for their suggestions and constructive comments on this manuscript.

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark