MOSPICALANUS-SCHIELAE, A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF CALANOID COPEPOD (CRUSTACEA, SPINOCALANIDAE) FROM DEEP ANTARCTIC WATER

A new genus and species, Mospicalanus schielae, collected at bathypela gic depth in the Antarctic Ocean, is described from female specimens a nd a stage V male. The new species is placed in the Spinocalanidae on account of the absence of fifth legs and leg 1 characteristics. It app ears to be closely related to Mimocalanus Farran, 1908, sharing apomor phic characters such as the lack of a rostrum, reductions of setal arm ament on the mouthparts, and absence of an outer spine on the first ex opod segment of leg 1. Mospicalanus schielae can be distinguished from other spinocalanid genera by the setation of the antennary exopod, th e maxillule, and the paecoxal endite of maxilla. Diagnostic characters of Spinocalanidae and Bathypontiidae are also discussed in order to c larify affiliation of genera tentatively assigned to the latter family . An updated key is given for the spinocalanid genera.