A NEW SPECIES OF LABIDOCERA (COPEPODA, CALANOIDA, PONTELLIDAE) FROM THE ARABIAN GULF

A new species of marine epiplanktonic copepod of the genus Labidocera Lubbock, 1853 (Calanoida, Pontellidae), Labidocera kuwaitiana sp. nov., is described from the coastal waters of the Arabian Gulf [=Persian Gulf] near Kuwait. The species belongs to the 'darwinii' species group because it has an endopod on the left fifth leg of the male, but differs distinctly from other members of the group in having a dorsal process on the genital double-somite in the female and a greatly elongated, toothed process on segments XXI-XXBI at the prehensile antennule in the male. The new species is closely related to L. acutifrons (Dana, 1849), but may be distinguished from L. acutifrons by details of the urosome and fifth leg in the female and details of the fifth leg and prehensile antennule in the male. The size of the eye lenses in Labidocera kuwaitiana sp. nov. males is shortly discussed. A key to the species of the 'darwinii' group is presented.