A new species of the genus Heterolaophonte Lang, 1948 is described. Heterolaophonte natator n. sp. was first collected from eelgrass in Louscoone Inlet, Moresby Island, Haida Gwai. The leg armature is provided for the new species and others that are either similar or reported from British Columbia coastal waters. Although both the female and male have distinct paddling leg armatures, the male fourth leg with its unique minute endopodite and third leg with a plug on the endopodite are characteristics shared with the male of a European laophontid copepod, H. littoralis (T. Scott & A. Scott, 1893). Both unique and shared characteristics are provided in the description as well as a discussion of similar copepods, particularly the association with a European species, as well as three others with similar characteristics, all of whom live in formerly glaciated areas. |
