Morphology and DNA sequences reveal a new species of Clavellotis (Copepoda: Lernaeopodidae) as a parasite of three species of sparids in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Abstract

Species of genus Clavellotis Castro-Romero & Baeza-Kuroki, 1984 are parasites of marinefishes across the world. During the course of a survey on the metazoan parasites of marinefish across the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, specimens of a lerneapodid copepod consistentwith the concept of Clavelotis were collected from the gills of three species of sparids, andwere described as a new species using morphological and molecular characters. Clavellotismayae n. sp. represents the second species of the genus reported in Mexican coastal waters.The new species morphologically resembles C. dubius and C. sebastidis in the trunk shapebut can be readily distinguished by having a short maxilla which is separated to its distal end,a sub-oval and conspicuously larger aliform process, and a distal margin of the trunk bearingpronounced subcircular flaps covering the attachment sites of the egg sacs. The new speciesfurther differs from all other known congeners by having a short genital process andmandibles without secondary dentition. Molecular analyses through 28S rDNA and cox1sequences further corroborate all these morphological distinctions and support the taxonomicplacement of the new species within Clavellotis. The relationships of this species with othercongeners are discussed in light of molecular evidence.