Taxonomy and ultrastaructure of Harpacticoida (family porcellidiidae) from seaweed (Ulva reticulata) in Sungai Pulai, Johor

Abstract

Order Harpacticoida is the most conspicuous free living copepods in the marine benthic habitats. They showed an amazing diversity of forms and adapted to widely differing types of environment. A taxonomic study on the harpacticoida from family Poircellidiidae was carried out at Sungai Pulai, Johore. The samples were collected from the seaweed, Ulva reticulata. Taxonomic characters were observed under a compound microscope attached with lucida tube. There were three species from family Porcellidiidae were found in this study which were Porcellidium ofunatense, Porcellidium yoroium and Porcelidium brevicaudatum. All the species showed the similarity in body shape which was dorso-ventrally flattened. The identification for these species was done by comparing their morphological structure with the established keys. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to examine the fine structure such as pits, collared sensillae and network of ridges on the body surface of these happacticoid. This study was considered as a new founding for this family of harpacticoid in Malaysian waters.