Stachyops, a new nototanaid genus (Crustacea: Peracarida: Tanaidacea) from New Zealand, with remarks on nototanaid and tanaissuid phylogeny

A new genus and species, Stachyops sebparri, is described from the eulittoral of Cook Strait, New Zealand and is the first record of a nototanaid from one of the main islands. A very small species, it has several morphological characters that are shared with some species of the Tanaissuidae, such as a narrow mandibular molar and fewer pereopods 4-6 carpal spines, yet retains some apparent plesiomorphic features more typical of the Nototanaidae or other 'basal' paratanaoideans. A phylogenetic analysis does group it with the Nototanaidae sensu Bird & Larsen, but more phylogenetic studies of these two families are needed to clarify their composition, relationships, and validity.