Taxonomy and ultrastructure study of family porcellidiidae (Harpacticoida, Copepoda) from seagrass (Enhalus acoroides) in Sungai Pulai, Johor

Abstract

This taxonomic study of harpacticoid (Porcellidiidae) was carried out using the sample collected from the seagrass (Enhalus acoroides) from Sungai Pulai, Johor that was collected on 31 st August 2007. Samples were prepared on slides for observation under high magnification compound microscope and details of the fine structure on its body surface were further examined by using Scanning Electron Micrograph method. A total of three species was described which is Porcellidium aiiroa, Dilatatiocauda media/is and Porcellidium sp .. The female Porcellidium aiiroa described by the unique features of rhomboid caudal rami with the present of 1, 4 and y terminal setae and for the male the caudal rami is rectangular with the absent or third terminal setae. The Dilatatiocauda that was found during the study was classified by the unique features of maxilliped that widely separated at the middle part of two coxal lobes and the absent of fimbriate process. The location of the a. and setae at the middle of caudal rami make it's named as D. media/is. Porcellidium sp. found in this study has unique features of caudal rami with highly bevelled at the outer edge.