Fuentes-Reinés J.M.1*, Gómez S.2, Vásquez-Ramos J.M.3, Suárez-Rivero D.4, Eslava-Eljaiek P.1 2024. First record of Leptocaris kunzi Fleeger et Clark, 1980 (Copepoda: Harpacticoida: Darcythompsoniidae) from the Caribbean coast of Colombia // Invert. Zool. Vol.21. No.3. P.348–358 [in English].
1 Magdalena University, Research Group in Biodiversity and Applied Ecology, Santa Marta, AA 731 Colombia.
2 National Autonomous University of Mexico, Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology, Mazatlán Academic Unit, Joel Montes Camarena s/n, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico.
3 University of the Llanos, Institute of Environmental Sciences of the Colombian Orinoquía (ICAOC), Research Group Evaluation of Management and Conservation of Hydrobiological and Fisheries Resources (GIREHPES), Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia.
4 Agroindustrial Research and Innovation Group – GINNA, Agroindustrial Engineering Program, Agrarian University Foundation of Colombia – UNIAGRARIA, Colombia.
Juan Fuentes-Reinés: juanfuentesreines@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5809-4271
Samuel Gómez: samuelgomez@ola.icmyl.unam.mx https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8597-8846
Jesús Vásquez-Ramos: jvasquez@unillanos.edu.co https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1465-9407
Deivis Suárez-Rivero: deivissr2000@hotmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0983-770X
Pedro Eslava-Eljaiek: peslava@unimagdalena.edu.co https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4779-1589
* Corresponding author
doi: 10.15298/invertzool.21.3.07
ABSTRACT: The benthic harpacticoid Leptocaris kunzi Fleeger et Clark, 1980 has only been reported from the United States of America. This species is reported for the first time from Ciénaga Grande, northern Colombia, representing a range extension of the species. A brief description and comparative data on the morphology L. kunzi are presented. The Colombian specimens display the diagnostic features of L. kunzi as reported in both the original description by Fleeger & Clark (1980) and in the subsequent taxonomical account of Kunz (1994), including the antennal exopod represented by two setae, the seven-segmented antennule in female and male, the mandibular palp represented by two elements, leg 2 endopod-2 with 5 elements (the inner one very slender), and female and male leg 5 with three and four setae, respectively. The present record raises the number of species of Leptocaris T. Scott, 1899 known from Colombia to three.
KEY WORDS: benthic copepod, darcythompsoniid, Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, meiofauna, microcrustacean.