Morphological revision of phytal red-stripe Eudactylopus fasciatus Sewell, 1940 (Crustacea, Copepoda, Harpacticoida) from Bangaram Island, Lakshadweep, India

Abstract

Specimens of the harpacticoid copepod Eudactylopus fasciatus Sewell, 1940 were found in plankton samples taken from Lakshadweep, India. In this study, E. fasciatus is redescribed on several additional distinct morphological characters along with the original description dating back to 1940 (Sewell, 1940). The most important features of E. fasciatus from Bangaram Island are the external coloration pattern with eight longitudinal bands, additional numbers of setae on the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 7^th segments of the A1, and the modified saber-shaped sexually dimorphic second endopod segment of the male P2 with a bud-like structure. The illustrated redescription and a taxonomic key for the identification of all the species of the genus Eudactylopus are also provided.

Keywords:
Indian Ocean; phytal harpacticoid; redescription; taxonomy; taxonomic key