Redescription of Mesocyclops aspericornis (Daday, 1906) (Copepoda: Cyclopoida) from an Indian pond

Abstract

The morphology of a cyclopoid copepod, Mesocyclops aspericornis (Daday, 1906), from a tropical pond is redescribed in detail. This species is clearly distinguished from Mesocyclops leuckarti. New diagnostic characters, such as the distribution of feathered and non-feathered outgrowths on the antennule, the presence of aesthetascs in both genders, circular groups of spinules along the dorsal and ventral surface of caudal rami, a group of 14 spinules on the coxa of P2 and P3 and eight spinules on P1 and P4, are described. In the case of males, a stouter first endopodite segment of the antennae and an upwardly bent spine on the first exopodite segment of P2 and spinules on the genital segment are described for the first time. The taxonomy of M. aspericornis is discussed.