A redescription of the female of Lernaeopoda bivia Leigh-Sharpe, 1930 (Lernaeopodidae: Siphonostomatoida) and a first description of the male.

Abstract

Within the family Lernaeopodidae Milne Edwards, 1840 the females of Lernaeopoda spp. are very similar to those of Neoalbionella spp. Contrarily, the male morphology is different enough to allow distinction between species of the two genera. Unfortunately, males are not always attached to collected females and therefore often not described. Hence the validity of some of the Lernaeopoda spp. are still questionable due to incomplete descriptions of the female and no description of the male. Lernaeopoda bivia Leigh-Sharpe, 1930 is an example of an accepted species due to a redescription of the female done in 1986 but without a description of the male. Lernaeopoda bivia has only been reported twice, collected from Schroederichthys bivius (Müller & Henle). Recently, females with attached males were collected from Triakis semifaciata Girard from Inner Cabrillo Beach in southern California.The female morphology of L. bivia is similar to the previous redescription with some additional features and illustrations while the male conforms to the morphology of males of Lernaeopoda spp. The dental formula of males and females of the species of the genus differ with males having one P1, S1 less than females. The structure and armature of the appendages of the three described species of males (L. galei Krøyer, 1837, L. bidiscalis Kane, 1892 and L. bivia) is mostly similar with the tympanal membrane of the three species the most distinctive feature. A key to identify the females of the valid species of Lernaeopoda is provided.