Spionicola, Bjornberg & Radashevsky, 2009

Björnberg, Tagea K. S. & Radashevsk, Vasily I., 2009, A new genus and a new species of Clausiidae (Crustacea, Copepoda) parasitic on DIPOLYDORA ARMATA (Polychaeta, Spionidae) in Brazil, Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 49 (20), pp. 249-256 : 250

Genus Spionicola gen. nov.

Diagnosis: Body elongate, vermiform, in both sexes with limits of somites not always very clear, maintaining more or less the same width from first to seventh somite and narrowing very little towards the anal region. Antennule 5-segmented with pointed protuberances on first segment. Antenna 4-segmented. Labrum small. Mandible with strong claw and seta. Maxillule with 4 elements. Maxilla 2-segmented with claw-like spine and seta. Maxilliped very reduced in female and 4-segmented in male with long claw. Legs 1 and 2 biramous with 2-segmented rami tipped with 3 elements. Leg 3 reduced to spines. Leg 4 absent. Leg 5 well developed, composed of 2 segments and 3 long strong setae. Leg 6 in male reduced to 3 setae. Caudal ramus with 5 elements. Egg string uniseriate, very long.

Etymology: The generic name Spionicola is a composition of the host’s family name Spionidae with the latin cola, inhabitant.

Type species: Spionicola mystaceus n. sp.