Paeonocanthus antarcticensis (Hewitt, 1965): A rare copepod parasite of bathypelagic fish, Bathylagus antarcticus Günther, from the Antarctic Ocean

Abstract

Paeonocanthus antarcticensis (Hewitt, 1965) is redescribed based on four specimens recovered from a deep-sea smelt, Bathylagus antarcticus Günther, collected in the Antarctic Ocean (65 °S, 139° 59.6′E). Studies on the morphological variations of these four specimens plus comparison with the three documented specimens yielded that the sphyriid reported as P. antarcticensis from the goiter blacksmelt, Bathylagus euryops Goode & Bean, taken in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean is a different species. It is renamed Paeonocanthus hogansi n. sp.