Taeniacanthodes Dojirii N. Sp. (Copepoda: Poecilostomatoida: Taeniacanthidae), From Cortez Electric Rays (Narcine Entemedor: Torpediniformes: Narcinidae) Captured in the Gulf of California, and a Phylogenetic Analysis of and Key to Species of Taeniacanthodes

Abstract

Taeniacanthodes dojirii n. sp. (Copepoda: Poecilostomatoida: Taeniacanthidae) is described from adult female specimens collected from the body surface of Cortez electric rays Narcine entemedor (Torpediniformes, Narcinidae), captured at several locations in the Gulf of California. Taeniacanthodes dojirii is distinguished from its congeners, as well as from other members of Taeniacanthidae, by possessing unimerous fifth legs. A cladistic analysis of the 3 known species of Taeniacanthodes resulted in a single most parsimonious tree (tree length = 18 steps, consistency index = 1) demonstrating that T. gracilis and T. haakeri, both parasites of benthic teleosts, are more closely related to each other than to the new species.

Nagmia rodmani n. sp., Nagmia cisloi n. sp., and Probolitrema richiardii (López, 1888) (Gorgoderidae: Anaporrhutinae) from Elasmobranchs in the Gulf of California, Mexico

“…Taeniacanthodes dojirii Braswell, Benz, and Deets, 2002 Sites of infection: Dorsal and ventral body surfaces.…”

Parasitic crustaceans (Branchiura and Copepoda) parasitizing the gills of puffer fish species (Tetraodontidae) from the coast of Campeche, Gulf of Mexico

“…Our present record is the first occurrence of T. lagocephali on L. laevigatus from the GoM . Together with the only species previously reported ( Braswell et al 2002 ), the number of species of Taeniacanthidae in Mexico is now two.…”

“…Host specificity is a determinant key in how the parasites can be established into new areas ( Poulin et al 2011 ). In Mexico, Taeniacanthidae has been represented only by Taeniacanthodes dojirii Braswell, Benz & Deets, 2002 in the ray Narcine entemedor ( Narcinidae ) from Bahía de Los Angeles, Santa Rosalía, Gulf of California ( Braswell et al 2002 ). Our present record is the first occurrence of T. lagocephali on L. laevigatus from the GoM .…”

George William Benz (1 January 1954–9 February 2015)

“…), George materialized at the airport and was delivered to the beaches of La Paz to join the expedition team. The resulting multitude of parasite specimens and several large plastic drums fi lled with fi xed elasmobranch gills and noses formed the basis of several research topics and subsequent publications for George's Tennessee Aquarium research interns , Bullard and Overstreet 2000, Braswell et al 2002, Bullard et al 2004a.…”