A FIRST REPORT ON THE MORPHOLOGY OF THE POSTANTENNAL PROCESS IN LERNANTHROPUS (LERNANTHROPIDAE, COPEPODA) AND ITS POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANCE AS A TAXONOMIC FEATURE

Notes on the postantennal process as a category of cuticular spines of parasitic Copepoda are given. Arguments on the status of the postante nnal process as an appendage are briefly compared. It is concluded tha t these structures are cuticular outgrowths and not appendages. The mo rphology of this structure is concisely compared in the Caligidae, Tae niacanthidae and Lernanthropidae. The structure of postantennal proces ses, based on light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies, of five species of Lemanthropus (L. capistroides Olivier & Va n Niekerk, L. sarbae Kensley & Grindley, L. gisleri Van Beneden, L. sp .A and L. sp.B) is discussed and illustrated. Morphological difference s of possible taxonomic value are highlighted.