Vol. 48 No. 4, 2009

A Review of Typhlamphiascus Lang, 1944 (Copepoda: Harpacticoida: Miraciidae) with a New Species Typhlamphiascus higginsi from Phuket Island, Thailand

Supawadee Chullasorn*

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok 10240, Thailand

Supawadee Chullasorn (2009) A new species belonging to the Miraciidae Dana, 1846 (Copepoda: Harpacticoida: Miraciidae), is described from a seagrass bed dominated by Enhalus acoroides at Banpaklok, Phuket I., Thailand.  An amended diagnosis of Typhlamphiascus includes: rostrum well-developed, expanded at the base with a small sensillum on each side of the rostrum about 1/5 from the acute tip.  The new species, T. higginsi sp. nov., is similar to other species of the genus by having 8 segmented antennules, an almost linear body shape, and the baseoendopod of the 5th legs with fork-tipped setae.  Autapomorphies of the new species are provided by the following characters: the inner edge of the basis of male 1st legs with only 3 chitinous lamellae; the dorsal edge of the female 1st abdominal somite ornamented with 1 row of 7 min spinules on each side, the armature of the abdominal somites furnished with rows of triangular spinules along the ventral edge of the 3rd and 4th somites in special patterns above the hyaline frills; the caudal ramus with a conical shape twice as long as broad, and the inner edge with 2 min spinules at the base.

Key words: Typhlamphiascus higginsi, New species, Enhalus acoroides, Phuket I.

*Correspondence: Tel: 66-2-3108418,  66-2-3108394.  Fax: 66-2-3108418.   E-mail:csupawadee@yahoo.com