Ergasilidae are a family of globally distributed copepods parasitizing freshwater fishes. Despite their widespread occurrence, their phylogeographic patterns are poorly understood, specifically in the African Great Lakes. Here, we aim to provide an update on distribution of Ergasilus kandti, a copepod species infecting Tylochromis polylepis, an endemic cichlid fish species in Lake Tanganyika, and the phylogenetic relationship of African ergasilids. We present the first record of E. kandti parasitizing the gills of T. polylepis in Lake Tanganyika proper, identified through light microscopy and, for the first time for any ergasilid, confocal laser scanning microscopy. We suggest that this technique adds spatial context to characters and are hardly visible while using light microscopy. Phylogenetic analyses based on ribosomal DNA fragments suggest two monophyletic groups of African ergasilids. However, the phylogenetic relationships of Ergasilus remain unresolved, possibly because of the insufficient resolution of these widely used phylogenetic markers and low taxonomic coverage. A comparison of ergasilid mitochondrial genomes highlights traits found in other parasite lineages including genome shrinkage and low evolutionary rates of the cox1 gene. This study presents the most extensive molecular characterization of any ergasilid species to date.
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The New Caledonian Archipelago is a hot spot for biodiversity and endemism. Here, we report on new records of nine species from localities on the main island, Grande Terre, and illustrate these: Ilyodromus viridulus (Brady, 1886), Stenocypris hislopi Ferguson, 1969, S. macedonica Petkovski & Meisch, 1996¸ S. malayica Victor & Fernando, 1981, Bradleytriebella lineata (Victor & Fernando, 1981), Hemicypris pyxidata (Moniez, 1892), Heterocypris incongruens (Ramdohr, 1808), Cypridopis vidua (O.F. Müller, 1776) and Limnocythere stationis Vávra, 1891. We also provide redescriptions and illustrations of the valves and carapace of Stenocypris marginata Daday, 1910 sensu Méhes, 1939, Cypris granulata Daday, 1898 and Kennethia major (Méhes, 1939); for the latter species also including some soft parts. Therefore, twenty two certain species have thus far been reported from the New Caledonian Archipelago. The status of seven uncertain species is also discussed. Previous records of Stenocypris major (Baird, 1859) from Grande Terre, mainly by Méhes, are here considered to belong to S. hislopi. We propose to reject the presence of Cyprinotus cingalensis Brady, 1886 in New Caledonia and suggest to consider Cypridopsis sarasini Méhes, 1939 as an “uncertain species” (sensu Meisch et al. 2019). We also argue that Eucypris wolffhuegeli Méhes, 1914 might be a synonym of H. incongruens and suggest that Strandesia rouxi Méhes, 1939 might be considered a junior synonym of an existing species, pending further research.
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