Epikopais gen. nov. (Isopoda: Asellota: Munnopsidae), a new genus of munnopsid isopod with three new species from the south-western Pacific

Abstract

A new munnopsid isopod genus from the southern hemisphere, Epikopais gen. nov. is described here and includes Epikopais aries (Vanhöffen, 1914) comb. nov. from Antarctica and three new species described here from the south-west Pacific: Epikopais mystax sp. nov. from the Bounty Trough east of the South Island of New Zealand; and Epikopais poorei sp. nov. and Epikopais waringa sp. nov., both from the south-eastern Australian continental slope. Epikopais gen. nov. can be distinguished by the combination of the short laterally rounded cephalic frons; the absence of dorsal spines; the lack of a mandibular palp; the mandibular fossa, which curves along the lateral margin of the mandible; and the biramous uropods.