First report of the genus Bicorniphontodes (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Ancorabolidae) in South Korea, with descriptions of three new species

We report the occurrence of the genus Bicorniphontodes George, Glatzel & Schroder, 2019 in Korean waters, with descriptions of three new species: Bicorniphontodes lacuna sp. nov., B. comptus sp. nov., and B. huysi sp. nov. Morphology analysis was carried out to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of Bicorniphontodes species, including the three new species. Parsimony analysis based on 41 characters revealed that the three new species are clustered together as a monophyletic clade, of which B. horstgeorgei (George & Gheerardyn, 2015) is a sister species. The monophyletic status of three new species was supported by five synapomorphies, such as the micro-morphological conditions of the exopodal segments of the first leg, coxae of the second to fourth legs, exopod of the fifth leg in the female and baseoendopod of the fifth leg in the male, and the maxillular endopod represented by two setae. These three species can be easily distinguished based on the morphology of the rostrum, cephalothoracic processes, female genital double-somite, caudal rami, and second endopodal segment of the third leg in the male. The taxonomic position of B. bicornis sensu Kim, 2013 in Korean fauna was reevaluated based on the newly collected material from Udo Islet near Jeju Island; this resulted in a synonym of B. huysi sp. nov.

Automated summary

This study reports the discovery of three new species of genus Bicorniphontodes in Korean waters, and reconstructs their phylogenetic relationships through morphology analysis. The monophyletic status of the new species is supported by morphological characteristics and comparisons, allowing for easy differentiation of the species based on various features.