Kinorhyncha from the stomach of the shrimp Pleoticus muelleri (Bate, 1888) from Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina

Abstract

Six kinorhynchs were found in the stomachs of the Argentine red shrimp, Pleoticus mulleri (Bate, 1888) from the Argentine coast of Patagonia. Three new species are described: Condyloderes storchi n. sp., Pycnophyes argentinensis n. sp. and P. neuhausi n. sp. A fourth species, Kinorhynchus anomalus Lang, 1953 was previously known only from the coast of Chile. This is the third known record of kinorhynchs documented as a food source. Condyloderes storchi, n. sp. is the fourth new species in this genus. It is distinguished by its paradorsal cuspidate spines on segments 7 and 9, lateral accessory and ventrolateral spines on segments 3, 6, 7, 10 and 11. P. argentinensis, n. sp. has nearly equal sternal width for segments 3–11 (about 7% of the trunk length), episternal plates with three distinct areas along the anterior margin, mid-sternal plate with even margin, mid-dorsal spinose protrusions along the terminal borders of segments 11 and 12, and lateral terminal spines 176 μm long, about 21% of trunk length. P. neuhausi, n. sp.has a prominent posterior elongation of the tergal plate of segment 3, uneven lateral margins of the mid-sternal plate, a maximum sternal width at segment 3, no mid-dorsal spinose processes and mid-ventral thickenings on segments 10–12.