Three new species of temporary fish parasite, Gnathiid Isopods (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cymothoida) from Kuwait

Abstract

Gnathiid isopods (Crustacea) were collected between 2014 and 2022 from various sites in shallow waters of the Kuwait coasts. Three new species of gnathiids are described: Caecognathia alsalmiyah sp. nov. is characterised by the well-extended, distally pointed with three cusps supraocular lobe and the presence of pylopod with four articles; Elaphognathia alshumaimah sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by having an elongated, distally curved mandible, with a single pronounced conical internal lobe; Gnathia kuwaitensis sp. nov. is easily distinguished from the other species of the genus Gnathia by the conical mediofrontal process, which is slightly sunken and having pronounced superior frontolateral process, with median notch distally.