(= Propodoplea Lang, 1948)

Misophrioida is a well defined order of Copepoda currently comprising three families and 16 genera. Species of this order inhabit mainly marine oligotrophic environments such as anchialine caves and deep-sea hyperbenthic layers.

"A phylogenetic analysis of the family (BOXSHALL 1989) revealed two monophyletic groups, the Misophria-group and the Archimisophria-group. Species of basal genera of both groups within the cladogram inhabit deep-sea waters and within each group anchialine habitats have been colonized independently. This supports the hypothesis of a deep-sea origin of the order. The number of known species is very small as compared with most other copepod orders. This may be because the habitats in which misophrioids occur are less accessible and more difficult to sample." [from: P. M. Arbizu & S. Seifried, 1996].

"Misophrioids are noteworthy for displaying the most primitive states known in the podoplean copepods for some characters. They probably represent a branch that diverged early from the podoplean lineage within the Copepoda (HUYS & BOXSHALL 1991; JAUME & BOXSHALL 1996a). The order is also remarkable for its biogeography: some of its cave-dwelling representatives show extreme disjunct distributions and are currently interpreted as faunal relicts of ancient seas" [from: Jaume & Boxshall, 1997].

Misophrioid copepods primarily occur in the hyperbenthic zone in both coastal areas and deep-sea habitats (Boxshall 1989). However, many new misophrioids described in last four decades have been found in anchialine caves (Boxshall 1987; Boxshall and Iliffe 1986, 1990; Huys 1988; Jaume and Boxshall 1996a, b; Jaume et al. 1998; Jaume et al. 2001). The species of the family Speleophriidae are mainly from anchialine habitats (Boxshall and Jaume 2000) (Krsinic, 2016).

Misophrioid copepods primarily occur in the hyperbenthic zone in both coastal areas and deep-sea habitats (Boxshall 1989). However, many new misophrioids described in last four decades have been found in anchialine caves (Boxshall 1987; Boxshall and Iliffe 1986, 1990; Huys 1988; Jaume and Boxshall 1996a, b; Jaume et al. 1998; Jaume et al. 2001).

ARCTICOMISOPHRIA Martinez-Arbizu & Seifried, 1996