Polyconchoecia commixtus gen. et sp nov (Ostracoda: Myodocopa: Halocyprididae) from the South China Sea

Planktonic ostracods are small crustaceans abundant in marine ecosystem worldwide as appreciable part of marine zooplankton. Family Halocyprididae is a large group of halocyprid ostracods, and the tribe Conchoeciini has contained 21 genera previously. We described a further genus with a species Polyconchoecia commixtus gen. et sp. nov. from the middle of South China Sea in this study. The new species can be distinguished from related genera and species in having a unique combination of these characteristics: a lateral gland placed over right asymmetric gland and open near posterior margin; dense edge glands placed along ventral margin of carapace in line; shape of frontal organ; e-seta of first antenna is bare; endopod of second antenna has one small oval hump with central concave on mid-ventral margin, instead of processus mamillaris, exopod 1 has a small disto-dorsal spine, exopod 1 and 2 are fused, exopod 3 and 4 are bare; endopod 1 of mandible has one long ventral seta, endopod 2 has one ventral seta; maxillary endopod 1 has two basal setae; endopod 1 of fifth limb has only one ventral seta; endopod 1 of sixth limb and endopod 2 have no ventral seta. The definite distinctions in locations of major glands are the key characteristics of the new genus.