Lepeophtheirus mondacola sp. nov. (Copepoda; Caligidae) parasitic on the shortjaw leatherjacket Oligoplites refulgens (Teleostei; Carangidae) in the Gulf of California, Mexico.

A new species of parasitic copepod, Lepeophtheirus mondacola sp. nov. (Siphonostomatoida; Caligidae), is described based on female and male specimens obtained from the shortjaw leatherjacket Oligoplites refulgens (Actinopterygii; Perciformes; Carangidae), captured in the southeastern Gulf of California off northwestern Mexico. The new species can be separated from its congeners by a combination of characters that includes: adult female with a subquadrate genital complex bearing slightly protruded posterolateral corners, two indistinct somites on the abdomen which, when combined together, is about two times longer than wide, a caudal ramus that is twice as long as it is wide, a postantennal process comprising a stout base and short claw, a dentiform process of the maxillule with two unequal tines, a maxilliped with a stout protopod and subchela, a sternal furca with a pair of bifurcated tines, a leg 3 exopod composed of 2 segments, five setae on the distal endopodal segment of leg 3 and a leg 4 exopod composed of three segments and armed with one long and two short apical spines on the distal exopodal segment; adult male with a suborbicular genital complex, an abdomen composed of one short and one long, indistinctly separated somites, a caudal ramus that is twice as long as it is wide, a stout postantennal process, a small triangular process at the base of the inner tine of the maxillulary dentiform process and a 3-segmented exopod on leg 4. Lepeophtheirus mondacola sp. nov. represents the first record of a species of Lepeophtheirus from a member of Oligoplites and the second caligid species reported from O. refulgens.

Using acoustic telemetry to quantify potential contaminant exposure of Vermilion Rockfish (Sebastes miniatus), Hornyhead Turbot (Pleuronichthys verticalis), and White Croaker (Genyonemus lineatus) at wastewater outfalls in southern California.

Contaminant Exposure Models (CEMs) were developed to predict population-level tissue contaminant concentrations in fishes by pairing sediment-bound contaminant concentrations (DDTs, PCBs) and fine-scale acoustic telemetry data from a habitat-associated species (Vermilion Rockfish, Sebastes miniatus), nomadic flatfish species (Hornyhead Turbot, Pleuronichthys verticalis), and nomadic benthic/midwater schooling species (White Croaker, Genyonemus lineatus) tagged near wastewater outfalls in southern California. Model results were compared to contaminant concentrations in tissue samples. The CEMs developed require further refinement before implementation into management efforts but may act as steppingstones to help shift primary monitoring methods away from the regular field collection of fish for tissue contaminant analyses and towards behavioral modeling and habitat mapping. We also developed Kernel Density Estimates that can be used by managers immediately to identify regions that contribute most to contaminant exposure in species of concern. Prioritizing remediation efforts in these areas are likely to be most effective at improving fish health.

Ecological effects of wastewater treatment modifications on infauna communities off the coast of Orange County, California.

The Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) is a public agency that provides treatment of wastewater for residents in Orange County, California. The final effluent characteristics at OCSD have been altered in the last 18 years due to the ~20-fold increase of sodium hypochlorite usage for disinfecting waste streams from 2002 to 2010, implementation of the Ground Water Replenishment System (GWRS) in 2008, and conversion to full secondary treatment, together with a major reduction of sodium hypochlorite usage in 2011. This study analyzed infauna data gathered from 1994 to 2016 at the zone of initial dilution (ZID) and reference stations located on the San Pedro Shelf to assess the effects of these treatment process changes on biota in the receiving water. Impacts to the infauna community within the ZID were observed during the period of high chlorine usage, including the increased proportion of the pollution tolerant polychaete Capitella capitata complex from 6.2% in 2003 to nearly 60% in 2010, the lowest Infaunal Trophic Index score in 2009, and the highest Benthic Response Index score in 2006. The degradation of the infauna community in the ZID was correlated with chlorination and was coincidental with the initiation of the GWRS. The infauna community at the ZID recovered rapidly after the implementation of full secondary treatment as indicated by the significant reduction of the relative abundance of C. capitata complex from 59.8% in 2010 to less than 0.1% after 2012, and by the markedly improved community health index scores. This study demonstrated the composition and biointegrity of the infauna community at the ZID varied in response to changes in the wastewater treatment process. Caution should be exercised at wastewater treatment plants when relatively higher dosages of sodium hypochlorite are used over a multi-year period, as this may negatively impact aquatic biota in the receiving water.

Molecular evidence for the retention of the Thaumatopsyllidae in the order Cyclopoida (Copepoda) and establishment of four suborders and two families within the Cyclopoida.

The classification of the Thaumatopsyllidae within the Copepoda has been an issue of ongoing discussion since the discovery of Thaumatopsyllus paradoxus G.O. Sars, 1913 from the Norwegian coast. The family has been formally placed in the Monstrilloida, the Cyclopoida and even in its own order, the Thaumatopsylloida, based on different morphological criteria. We examined for the first time, the phylogenetic position of the Thaumatopsyllidae using gene sequences of 28S and 18S rRNA, as well as COI mtDNA, obtained from two thaumatopsyllid species occurring off the coast of southern California. We also fortuitously explored the phylogenetic relationships of the Cyclopoida in more detail than Khodami et al. (2017) by including a wider sample of key families such as the Erebonasteridae and Gisellinidae. Both Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses revealed the Thaumatopsyllidae is nested in the Cyclopoida and is related to the marine Speleoithonidae. In addition, 16 families of the Cyclopoida are supported to be monophyletic, but surprisingly, the Cyclopidae is paraphyletic. The Cyclopicinidae is the first monophyletic offshoot of the cyclopoid tree, followed by two derived clades. The first clade contains a monophylum consisting of the Schminkepinellidae + Giselinidae which is sister to a clade including the monophyletic Erebonasteridae and all other poecilostome families. The second clade is divided into two main, well-supported family clusters. One includes the Cyclopidae encompassing two subfamilies (Eucylopinae and Cyclopinae), but unexpectedly the parasitic Lernaeidae cluster as a sister-group to the brackish water Halicyclops (subfamily Halicyclopinae) and the Euryteinae is the sister to all the rest of Cyclopidae s. l., making the Cyclopidae paraphyletic. To resolve this conundrum, we erected two families, Euryteidae and Halicyclopidae. The Cyclopidae s. str. retains the subfamilies Eucyclopinae and Cyclopinae, although our phylogeny does not support the reciprocal monophyly of these subfamilies. Our results support the gradual invasion of fresh water by the four families in this cluster. The highly supported monophyletic marine Euryteidae is the first offshoot followed by the brackish-water, free-living Halicyclopidae and the freshwater, parasitic Lernaeidae. The Cyclopidae fulfilled the colonization of freshwater bodies. The other clade of families comprises 12 monophyletic families recovered by our analysis, including the Pterinopsyllidae (at first offshoot), the Smirnovipinidae sister to the Hemicyclopinidae + Psammocyclopinidae, the Thaumatopsyllidae + Speleoithonidae, an undescribed family sister to the Archinotodelphyidae + Notodelphyidae and the Cyclopinidae sister to the Oithonidae + Cyclopettidae. We propose suborder ranks for each of the four main phylogenetic subdivisions of the Cyclopoida. These are named Cyclopicinida, Ergasilida, Cyclopida and Oithonida after the type genus of the oldest described family in the respective group.

Caligus fajerae n. sp. (Copepoda: Caligidae) parasitic on the Pacific sierra Scomberomurus sierra Jordan & Starks (Actinopterygii: Scombridae) in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico.

A new species of parasitic copepod, Caligus fajerae n. sp. (Caligidae), is described from Scomberomorus sierra Jordan & Starks (Scombridae) caught off the northwestern coast of Mexico. The new species morphologically resembles Caligus cybii Bassett-Smith, 1898, Caligus kanagurta Pillai, 1961, Caligus pelamydis Krøyer, 1863 and Caligus robustus Bassett-Smith, 1898, all of which have been reported from scombrid hosts. Caligus fajerae n. sp. differs from these species by having spinules on the abdomen and caudal ramus, two processes on the proximal antennulary segment, fine striations on the claw of the antenna and maxilliped, a stouter and more recurved maxillulary dentiform process, shorter tines on the sternal furca, two additional patches of spinules on the distal endopodal segment of leg 2, a sclerotised lobe on the anteromedian surface of the leg 3 protopod and serrations on both margins of the first exopodal spine of leg 3. Analysis of the DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene for Caligus fajerae n. sp. and 28 congeners, including C. pelamydis and C. robustus, showed that the new species grouped with Caligus belones Krøyer, 1863 (with 20% divergence), a species known to occur predominantly on needlefishes. Caligus fajerae n. sp. is the fifth species of Caligus reported from S. sierra. An updated host-parasite list for Caligus spp. on scombrids is provided.

A review of the Taeniacanthus balistae species group (Crustacea: Copepoda: Taeniacanthidae), with descriptions of two new species.

The Taeniacanthus balistae species group is characterized by two displaced elements on an outwardly curved and elongated terminal exopodal segment of leg 4. Members of this group parasitize tetraodontiform fishes. The group is reviewed herein based on both new material collected from tetraodontiform fishes and re-examination of voucher specimens housed at the Smithsonian Institution, U.S.A. Five species are considered valid in this group, including two new species described here, Taeniacanthus dojirii sp. nov. from diodontid hosts collected from the Indo-West Pacific and Taeniacanthus ryukyuensis sp. nov. from balistid hosts collected from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Taeniacanthus dojirii sp. nov. differs from other members of the group by having in the female stout spines on the terminal endopodal segment of legs 2 to 4 and on the exopod of leg 5, as well as highly reduced setae on the last two exopodal segments of leg 4. Taeniacanthus ryukyuensis sp. nov. differs from other members of the group by having in the female 16-18 incomplete rows of spinules on the anal somite, minute teeth on the straight terminal claw of the maxilliped and well-developed spinulated flanges on the rami of legs 2 to 4. Supplemental morphological observations, as well as new host and locality records for Taenicanthus balistae (Claus, 1864) and Taeniacanthus similis Dojiri & Cressey, 1987, are also provided.

Cepolacanthus kimi, a new genus and species of copepod (Cyclopoida: Taeniacanthidae) parasitic on Bandfish Acanthocepola abbreviata (Valenciennes, 1835) (Actinopterygii: Cepolidae) caught off the Iraqi coast.

A new genus and species, Cepolacanthus kimi, of the family Taeniacanthidae is established based on adult female specimens collected from the gills of Bandfish Acanthocepola abbreviata (Valenciennes, 1835) (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Cepolidae) caught off the coast of Iraq. The new genus is characterised by the following combination of features: 1) the urosome is composed of five somites, with the last urosomite probably being a compound somite formed from the failure of the third and fourth abdominal somites to separate; 2) the seta on the maxillary basis is displaced proximally from the free spinulated element; 3) the terminal claw (endopod) of the maxilliped is long and attenuate; 4) the endopod of legs 2-4 is 2-segmented; and 5) the terminal exopodal segment of leg 4 bears a prominent distolateral protuberance. Cepolacanthus kimi gen. et sp. nov. is the first copepod reported from A. abbreviata and the second taeniacanthid species recorded from the Iraqi coast. A new replacement name, Suncheonacanthus nom. nov., is proposed for the preoccupied generic name, Triacanthus Kim & Moon, 2013.

A new species of Pseudomacrochiron Reddiah, 1969 (Crustacea: Copepoda: Macrochironidae) associated with scyphistomae of the moon jellyfish Aurelia sp. (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) off Japan.

A new species of the Macrochironidae Humes & Boxshall, 1996 (Copepoda: Cyclopoida), Pseudomacrochiron aureliae n. sp., is described based on adult specimens extracted from the gastrovacular cavity of the scyphistomae of Aurelia sp. (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) collected in the Seto Inland Sea and Ise Bay off the coast of Japan. The new species differs from its congeners by having the following combination of characters: a caudal ramus with a length to width ratio of 3.1; an accessory flagellum on caudal setae II, III and VI; three apical setae on the maxillule; only setae I and II on the maxillary basis; two short spines on the female maxilliped claw (endopod); an armature of III, I, 4 on the terminal exopodal segment of leg 3; an armature of I, II, 2 on the terminal endopodal segment of leg 3; an armature of II, I, 4 on the terminal exopodal segment of leg 4; and a short free exopodal segment of leg 5 (length to width ratio of 1.4) armed with a long seta and short spine. P. aureliae n. sp. is the first member of the genus reported from off Japan and from the scyphistomae of its scyphozoan host.

A new species of Taeniacanthus (Copepoda: Taeniacanthidae) parasitic on two pufferfish species, Marilyna meraukensis and M. darwinii (Teleostei: Tetraodontidae), from Australia.

A new species of Taeniacanthidae (Copepoda, Cyclopoida), Taeniacanthus kiemae sp. n., is described based on adult female and male specimens collected from the branchial cavity wall of Marilyna meraukensis (de Beaufort) and M. darwinii (Castelnau) (Teleostei, Tetraodontidae) caught in Australian waters. The new species differs from its congeners by having the following combination of characters in the adult female: (1) maxilla armed with a stout terminal process and two small elements; (2) multiple rows of spinules on the large pectinate process of the antenna; (3) an extremely long and thin maxilliped claw; (4) second exopodal segment of leg 1 with eight setae; (5) third exopodal segment of leg 3 with three spines and four setae; (6) third exopodal segment of leg 4 with three spines and two setae; and (7) each spine on the free exopodal segment of leg 5 with a subterminal flagellum. Taeniacanthus kiemae is the second copepod species reported from M. meraukensis and M. darwinii and the first taeniacanthid species reported from pufferfishes in Australia.

Species of Taeniacanthus Sumpf, 1871 (Crustacea: Copepoda: Taeniacanthidae) parasitic on boxfishes (Tetraodontiformes: Aracanidae and Ostraciidae) from the Indo-West Pacific region, with descriptions of two new species.

Two new copepod species of the genus Taeniacanthus Sumpf, 1871 (Cyclopoida: Taeniacanthidae) are described from boxfishes (Aracanidae and Ostraciidae) caught in the Indo-West Pacific region: T. larsonae n. sp. from Ostracion nasus Bloch in the Arafura Sea and off Australia and Tetrosomus concatenatus (Bloch) off Japan; and T. thackerae n. sp. from O. immaculatus Temminck & Schlegel off Palau, O. rhinorhynchos Bleeker off Australia, Lactoria cornuta (Linnaeus) and Ostracion sp. off Japan, and Kentrocapros aculeatus (Houttuyn) in the East China Sea. T. larsonae n. sp. differs from its congeners by having several rows of spinules on the large pectinate process of the antenna and by differences in the shape of the sclerotised plates on the rostral area and structure of the maxilliped. T. thackerae n. sp. can be distinguished from its congeners by differences in the shape of the sclerotised plates on the rostral area, the structure of the maxilliped and ornamentation pattern of legs 1-4. Supplemental information for the female of Taeniacanthus ostracionis (Richiardi, 1870) and T. moa (Lewis, 1967), as well as the first description of the male of T. moa, are also provided based on new material collected from ostraciid hosts caught in the Arafura Sea and off Australia, Indonesia and Japan. The four taeniacanthid species reported from boxfishes exhibit variable levels of host-specificity and have broad geographical ranges within the Indo-West Pacific region.

Pseudohatschekiidae, a new family for Pseudohatschekia branchiostegi Yamaguti, 1939 (Crustacea: Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida) from Branchiostegus spp. (Teleostei: Perciformes: Malacanthidae) in Japanese waters, with descriptions of the early developmental stages of P. branchiostegi.

The siphonostomatoid copepod Pseudohatschekia branchiostegi Yamaguti, 1939 is redescribed in detail based on specimens of both sexes collected from the gill filaments of three species of Branchiostegus Rafinesque (Teleostei: Malacanthidae) captured in Japanese waters. Descriptions of two naupliar stages and the infective copepodid stage of P. branchiostegi are also provided for the first time, and P. mebaru Yamaguti, 1939 is recognised herein as a junior synonym of P. branchiostegi. The latter copepod species represents a new family, the Pseudohatschekiidae fam. nov., of the Siphonostomatoida characterised by the following apomorphies: (a) two free pedigerous somites present between the cephalothorax and the genital complex; (b) a chelate antenna bearing two digitate processes and a thin cuticular covering; (c) a unilobate maxillule, with the palp completely fused to the endite and represented by a surface seta; (d) a rounded process furnished with pectinate membranes on the apex of the maxillary basis; (e) 2-segmented rami on legs 1-3; and (f) the absence of leg 4. It is also now evident that P. branchiostegi is a relatively common and abundant parasite of Branchiostegus spp. in the Far East.

A new genus and species of mesoparasitic ergasilid (Copepoda: Cyclopoida) from brackish water pufferfishes collected in northern Australian waters.

A new mesoparasitic ergasilid copepod, Majalincola buthi n. g., n. sp., is described based on material collected from the gills of Marilyna darwinii (Castelnau) and M. meraukensis (de Beaufort) (Tetraodontidae) captured in brackish waters in northern Australia. The new genus is characterised by the presence in the fully-transformed adult female of: four tagmata (antennary, neck, postantennary cephalothoracic region and trunk region); a 5-segmented antennule; a trimerous leg 1 endopod; and a free exopod segment armed with two setae on the fifth leg. The establishment of the new genus is supported by the results of a cladistic analysis of Majalincola and members of its sister taxon.

The first chondracanthid (Copepoda: Cyclopoida) reported from cultured finfish, with a revised key to the species of Chondracanthus.

A new species of the Chondracanthidae (Copepoda: Cyclopoida), Chondracanthus goldsmidi, is described based on material collected from the nasobranchial region of striped trumpeter (Latris lineata [Forster]) cultured at the Tasmanian Aqua-culture and Fisheries Institute, Marine Research Laboratories, Australia. This represents the first report of a chondracanthid copepod infecting cultured finfish and the first metazoan parasite from cultured striped trumpeter. Chondracanthus goldsmidi n. sp. can be distinguished from its female congeners by the absence of lateral processes on the head and the presence of 3 pairs of lateral trunk outgrowths, 3 middorsal body outgrowths (of which the first 2 are rounded), a small and subcylindrical antennule, and unornamented legs 1 and 2. A revised key to the 39 valid species of Chondracanthus is provided.

Naricolax hoi n. sp. (Cyclopoida: Bomolochidae) from Arius maculatus (Siluriformes: Ariidae) off Taiwan and a redescription of N. chrysophryenus (Roubal, Armitage & Rohde, 1983) from a new host, Seriola lalandi (Perciformes: Carangidae), in Australian waters.

We propose that Naricolax stocki (Roubal, 1981) (Cyclopoida: Bomolochidae) of Ho & Lin (2005), reported from the spotted catfish Arius maculatus (Thunburg) off Taiwan, represents a new species, N. hoi n. sp. N. hoi can be distinguished from six known congeners by the shape of the rostral area, the maxillary armature and the structural details of legs 3 and 4. N. chrysophryenus (Roubal, Armitage & Rohde, 1983) is redescribed on the basis of recently collected material from wild and farmed yellowtail kingfish Seriola lalandi Valenciennes in southern and eastern Australian waters, providing the first record of Naricolax Ho, Do & Kasahara, 1983 from a carangid host. A key to the species of Naricolax is provided.

New caligiform Copepod (Siphonostomatoida: Dissonidae) parasitic on Seriola hippos from western Australian waters, with new records and orphological variation for Dissonus nudiventris and Dissonus similis, and an updated key to the species of Dissonus.

Dissonus hoi n. sp. is described from female and male specimens collected from the nasal cavities of a Samson Fish (Seriola hippos Günther) captured off Rottnest Island, Western Australia. Adult female D. hoi are distinguished from their congeners by possessing the following combination of characters: (1) a quadrangular genital complex, (2) ventral spines on the genital complex, (3) pair of postantennal processes, (4) a sternal furca, (5) 1-segmented abdomen, and (6) convoluted, uniseriate egg strings. New records and intraspecific morphological variation are also given for Dissonus nudiventris collected from Australia, and Dissonus similis collected from the tropical western Pacific. A key to the valid species of Dissonus is provided.

A new species of copepod (Siphonostomatoida: Caligidae) parasitic on the tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier (Péron & Lesueur) from Western Australian waters.

A new species of sea-louse (Caligidae, Siphonostomatoida), Caligus oculicola n. sp., is described from the eye surface of the tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier from off the northwestern coast of Australia. This copepod is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of characters that include: (i) a bifid, dentiform process of the maxillule; (ii) a sternal furca with a box longer than wide and diverging, truncate tines; (iii) terminal spines 1 to 3 on the last segment of leg 1 exopod, each with serrate margins and an accessory process (accessory process on the spines extending beyond the tip of the spine itself); and (iv) a two-segmented exopod of leg 4 with an armature formula of I-0; III. This is the first description of a caligid copepod collected from a shark host in Western Australian waters. The host-parasite relationships between Caligus oculicola and its elasmobranch host are discussed.