New Artotrogidae Species with an Uncommonly Atrophied Leg 1
Artotrogids are among the most intriguing siphonostomatoid copepods associated with marine invertebrates. They are usually found in low numbers, and it has been suggested that these microinvertebrates may feed intermittently and, consequently, spend part of their lives away from their hosts. Their systematics have been the subject of debate over the past century, with the rich variability of their leg morphology playing an important role in understanding their relationships. The discovery of a novel leg morphology, not observed in any other siphonostomatoid copepod, sheds new light on artotrogid systematics and provides additional evidence that may help unravel the family’s evolutionary history.
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