Genus Arenopontia Kunz 1937

Subgenus ARENOPONTIA Kunz, 1937

Arenopontia (Arenopontia) nesaie Cottarelli, 1975 3
Arenopontia (Arenopontia) subterranea Kunz, 1937 3

Subgenus NEOLEPTASTACUS Nicholls, 1945

Nicholls (1945) established the genus Neoleptastacus to accomodate N. spinicaudatus from Western Australia. Unfortunately this genus was not included in the harpacticoid world monograph of Lang (1948). Perhaps because of that Chappuis (1952) described one new species from Madagascar in the genus Arenopontia (Arenopontia australis), although it was obvious that the new species belonged to the genus Neoleptastacus. Later on , Chappuis (1954) cited Nicholls' paper when he described another new species (Arenopontia acantha), without mention to the genus Neoleptastacus. Successively, he cited Nicholls' paper correctly (Chappuis 1954) and synonymized the genus Neoleptastacus with Arenopontia. This last opinion was supported by many authors (Noodt 1955; Chappuis and Delamare Deboutteville 1956; Chappuis 1958; Chappuis and Rouch 1961; Bodin 1967; Bozic 1967; Rao 1967; Ito 1968; Masry 1970; Cottarelli 1973; Mielke 1987). The generic status of Neoleptastacus was supported only by Krishnaswamy (1957). As a compromise, Wells (1967) proposed a subgeneric status for Neoleptastacus, within the range of the genus Arenopontia. The Wells's proposition has been approved until now (Kunz 1971; Ito 1978; Bodiou and Colomines 1986; Wells 1986; Apostolov and Marinov 1988; Cottarelli et al. 1994; Martinez Arbizu and Moura 1994; Huys and Conroy-Dalton 1996).

The high level taxonomy of the genus Arenopontia (subg. Neoleptastacus) is more problematic. In former times (Kunz 1937; Nicholls 1945) it was placed in the family Canthocamptidae. Successively, Lang (1948) transferred it to the family Cylindropsyllidae. After Lang's monograph many new genera of the family Cylindropsyllidae were described, and the subfamily concept was no longer tenable (Huys and Conroy-Dalton 1993). Martinez Arbizu and Moura (1994) raised Lang's subfamily Leptopontiinae to family status, including the subfamilies Leptopontiinae, Psammopsyllinae and a new subfamily Arenopontiinae (in which was placed only the genus Arenopontia). In that revision the subfamily Cylindropsyllinae was allocated to the family Canthocamptidae. A similar opinion was presented later by Moura and Pottek (1998).

At present, the subgenus Neoleptastacus includes 18 species from all over the world (Karanovic, 2000).

Arenopontia (Neoleptastacus) acantha Chappuis, 1954 3
Arenopontia (Neoleptastacus) phreatica Cottarelli, Bruno & Venanzetti 1994 Sa E
Arenopontia (Neoleptastacus) speluncae Cottarelli, Bruno & Venanzetti 1994 S E

WORLD KEY TO SPECIES IN: Karanovic T. 2000. Arenopontia (Neoleptastacus) huysi,sp. nov. (Crustacea, Copepoda, Harpacticoida) from marine interstitial of Montenegro (S.E. Europe). Helgol. Mar. Res., 54: 33-38.

Family Leptopontiidae sensu Martinez Arbizu & Moura, 1994

Genus Ichnusella Cottarelli 1971

Ichnusella eione Cottarelli 1971 Sa E
Ichnusella improvisa Berera & Cottarelli, 2001 Sa E (NEW ENTRY)
Ichnusella ionica Berera & Cottarelli, 2003 S E (NEW ENTRY)
Ichnusella tertia Cottarelli et al., 1999 N E (NEW ENTRY)
Ichnusella longifurca Cottarelli et al., 1999 Sa E (NEW ENTRY)
Ichnusella pasquinii (Cottarelli 1969) S E

Genus Psammopsyllus Nicholls, 1945

Psammopsyllus maricae Cottarelli, Saporito & Venanzetti, 1989 3, 4

The above genera were included in the family Cylindropsyllidae in the "Checklist delle specie della fauna italiana. Copepoda (Calderini ed. Italy - 1995 )".

Recently, Martinez Arbizu & Moura (1994) considered the Cylindropsillidae as polyphyletic and desolved it, incorporating the Cylindropsyllinae in the family Canthocamptidae as well as raising to family level the subfamily Leptopontiinae, including the following other genera, not present in the Italian Fauna: Leptopontia T. Scott, 1902; Sewellina Krishnaswamy, 1956; Parasewellina Cottarelli, Saporito & Puccetti, 1986; Prosewellina Mielke, 1971; Notopontia Bodiou, 1972; Syrticola Willems & Claeys, 1982 . The genera Minervella Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989 and Psamathea Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989 (formerly in the family Cylindropsyllidae) are moved to the family Leptastacidae Lang, 1948 sensu Huys, 1992.

Family Leptastacidae Lang, 1948 sensu Huys, 1992

Genus Leptastacus T. Scott, 1906

Leptastacus macronyx (T. Scott, 1892) 3
Leptastacus uncinatus Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989 3

Genus Paraleptastacus Wilson, 1932

Paraleptastacus spinicauda (T. Scott & A. Scott, 1895) 3

Genus Minervella Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989

Minervella baccetti Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989 3

Genus Psamathea Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989

Psamathea nautarum Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989 3

Genus Meloriastacus Huys & Todaro, 1997

Meloriastacus ctenidis Huys & Todaro, 1997 [Italy, Meloria Shoals; interstitial] (NEW ENTRY)

Family Parastenocarididae Chappuis, 1940

The family Parastenocarididae Chappuis, 1940, formerly Parastenocaridae Chappuis, 1933, is still in a confused taxonomic state (Reid, 1994; Martinez Arbizu, 1997).

Jakobi (1972) suggested a new system for the family Parastenocarididae, splitting it into 26 new genera. This artificial system was strongly criticized by Schminke (1976) and numerous other authors (Cottarelli & Maiolini, 1980; Dumont, 1981; Dussart & Defaye, 1990; Rouch, 1986; Reid, 1994; Martinez Arbizu, 1997).

The Parastenocarididae is almost exclusively freshwater in distribution. Together with Canthocamptidae Brady 1880, they represent the most successful group of benthic freshwater harpacticoids in terms of diversity and aboundance.

At present, the family includes 241 species and subspecies (Gorgosinho et al. 2007) and the following valid genera (according to Gorgosinho et al. 2007 ; see ICZN 1999 article 13): Parastenocaris Kessler, 1913; Forficatocaris Jakobi, 1969; Paraforficatocaris Jakobi, 1972; Potamocaris Dussart, 1979 emend. Reid, 1991; Murunducaris Reid, 1994; Simplicaris Galassi & De Laurentiis, 2004; Remaneicaris Jakobi, 1972; Brasilibathynellocaris Jakobi, 1972; Pararemaneicaris Jakobi, 1972.

Parastenocaris is the most prolific and widespread genus, the other genera including few species, limited to the neotropical region.

Genus Parastenocaris Kessler, 1913

Representatives of the genus Parastenocaris almost exclusivey occur in subterranean, interstitial habitats from all over the World. According to Dussart & Defaye (1990) the genus is widely distributed in Europe, most european species do not appearing to cross the southern limit of the last glaciation age, indicating their poor dispersal.

Parastenocaris acherusia Noodt 1955 N E
Parastenocaris admete Cottarelli et al. 1980 Sa E
Parastenocaris amalasuntae Bruno & Cottarelli, 1998 S E (NEW ENTRY)
Parastenocaris amatheia Cottarelli 1970 Sa E
Parastenocaris amyclaea Cottarelli 1969 S E
Parastenocaris calliroe Cottarelli 1969 Sa E
Parastenocaris crenobia Galassi 1997 S E M [EN B1] (NEW ENTRY)
Parastenocaris etrusca Cottarelli, Bruno & Venanzetti 1994 S E
Parastenocaris federici Stoch, 2000 N E (NEW ENTRY)
Parastenocaris hera Cottarelli 1969 S E
Parastenocaris gertrudae Kiefer 1968 N E
Parastenocaris glacialis Noodt 1954 S *
Parastenocaris ima Cottarelli 1989 Sa E
Parastenocaris italica Chappuis 1953 N S E **
Parastenocaris kalypso Pesce, Galassi & Cottarelli 1988 Si E M [LR]
Parastenocaris lorenzae Pesce, Galassi & Cottarelli 1988 S E M [LR]
Parastenocaris oligoalina Cottarelli, Bruno & Venanzetti 1995 Sa E
Parastenocaris orcina Chappuis 1938 S E
Parastenocaris pasquinii Cottarelli 1972 S E
Parastenocaris proserpina Chappuis 1938 S E
Parastenocaris ranae Stoch, 2000 N E (NEW ENTRY)
Parastenocaris rivi Cottarelli & Bruno 1995 Sa E
Parastenocaris ruffoi Chappuis 1954 N E M [LR]
Parastenocaris sardoa Cottarelli & Torrisi 1977 Sa E
Parastenocaris sibaritica Berera & Cottarelli. 2003 S E (NEW ENTRY)
Parastenocaris stellae Cottarelli, Saporito & Puccetti 1981 Sa E
Parastenocaris triphyda Cottarelli & Bruno 1994 Sa E M [LR]
Parastenocaris tyrrhenidis Cottarelli 1970 Sa E
Parastenocaris trinacriae Pesce, Galassi & Cottarelli 1988 Si E M [LR]

* Parastenocaris glacialis is known from numerous groundwater (krenal, hyporheal, rhithrostygal) localities of Europe (Iceland, Spitzberg, Fenno-Scandian, Lapland, Denmark, Germany, Italy); particularly it could be considered a cold stenotherm relict, which colonized the stygal biotopes during the postglacial period. From a biogeographical point of view it is a "borealpine harpacticoid in a wider sense" (Husmann, 1975).

In central Apennines several other harpacticoid species (Epactophanes richardi, Hypocamptus brehmi, Limocamptus echinatus, Rheoamptus typhlops, Arcticocamptus raethicus) exibit similar pattern of distribution and ecology and, as P. glacialis, they are to be considered cold-stenotherm taxa which could be integrated in the same biogeographical group (Pesce et al., 1995)

** syn. Parastenocaris phyllura Noodt, 1955

Genus Simplicaris Galassi & De Laurentiis, 2004 (NEW ENTRY)

Simplicaris lethaea Galassi & De Laurentiis, 2004 [Italy; springs] (NEW ENTRY)
Simplicaris veneris (Cottarelli & Maiolini, 1980) [central Italy; lakes, interstitial] (NEW ENTRY)

Family Cletodidae T. Scott, 1904

Por (1986) in his review of the family Cletodidae transferred some genera of this family to a new sub-family of Canthocamptidae: Hemimesochrinae, as well as provisionally placed the genus Cletocamptus in the "Canthocamptidae incertae sedis". Later on, Gee (1999), sharing the Por's (1986) opinion, provisionally included the genus Cletocamptus in the family Canthocamptidae incertae sedis, suggestings as well that this genus "must be removed to a new family which will brobably prove to be a sister family to the Cletodidae".

More recently, Mielke (2000) confirmed that "The situation of the genus Cletocamptus is complex and in some respects inconsistent..... This uncertainty is due to the conjecture that the two families, Canthocamptidae and Cletodidae, appear to be poly- or para-phyletic assemblages".

The genus Pontocletodes Apostolov, 1980 was not defined by Por (1986) and it is provisionally assigned to Cletodidae. Bodin (1997) reported the same genus as "incertae sedis", adding some new genera to the family Cletodidae.

Pending a definitive review of the above families, the genus Cletocamptus is herein provisonally placed in the Cletodidae sensu Scott, 1904, which presently should include the following other genera: Acrenhydrosoma, Cletodes, Enhydrosoma, Enhydrosomella, Kollerua, Limnocletodes, Stylicletodes [Monocletodes Lang], Barbaracletodes, Australonannopus, Scintis, Strongylacron, Schizacron, Monocletodes, Intercletodes, Dyacrenhydrosoma, Paracrenhydrosoma , Triathrix, Sphingothrix and Neoacrenhydrosoma (Por, 1986, Fiers, 1987; Bodin, 1997; Gee, 1998,1999).

Genus Cletocamptus Schmankevitch 1875

Cletocamptus confluens (Schmeil 1894) N
Cletocamptus retrogressus Schmankevitch 18975 Si

Genus Enhydrosoma Boeck, 1872

Enhydrosoma caeni Raibaut, 1965 3, 4
Enhydrosoma gariene Gurney, 1930 3, 4
Enhydrosoma propinquum (Brady, 18880) 3, 4

Genus Enhydrosomella Monard, 1935

Enhydrosomella staufferi Monard, 1935 4

Family Latiremidae Bozic, 1969

Genus Delamarella Chappuis 1954

Delamarella galateae Cottarelli 1971 S Sa

Family Laophontidae T. Scott, 1904

Genus Harrietella T. Scott, 1906

Harrietella simulans T. Scott, 1894 ?

Genus Laophonte Philippi, 1840

Laophonte commensalis Raibaut, 1961 ?
Laophonte cornuta Philippi, 1840 3
Laophonte depressa T. Scott,1894 N *
Laophonte elongata Boeck, 1872 3, 4
Laophonte setosa Boeck, 1864 4
Laophonte thoracica Boeck, 1864 3, 4

* questionable species

Genus Esola Edwards 1891

Esola rosei (Monard, 1926) 3
Esola spelaea (Chappuis 1938) S E M [EW] *

* = Troglophonte spelaea according to Huys & Lee (2000)

Genus Onychocamptus Daday 1903

Onychocamptus mohammed (Blanchard & Richard 1891) N S Sa

Genus Pseudonychocamptus Lang, 1948

Pseudonychocamptus colomboi Ceccherelli, 1988 4
Pseudonychocamptus koreni (Boeck, 1872) 3

Genus Heterolaophonte Lang, 1948

Heterolaophonte stroemi (Baird, 1834) 4
Heterolaophonte s. paraminuta Noodt, 1955 4

Genus Paronychocamptus Lang, 1948

Paronychocamptus nanus (G.O. Sars, 1908) N, 4

Genus Paralaophonte Lang, 1948

Paralaophonte brevirostris (Claus, 1863) 3, 4
Paralaophonte brevirostris f. fissirostris Willey, 1935 4
Paralaophonte congenera (G.O. Sars, 1908) 3, 4
Paralaophonte quaterspinata (Brian, 1917) 3
Paralaophonte zimmeri (Douwe, 1929) 3 [questionable species]

Genus Asellopsis Brady & Robertson, 1873

Asellopsis hispida Brady & Robertson, 1873 4
Asellopsis sarmatica Jakubisiak, 1938 4

Genus Laophontina Norman & T. Scott, 1905

Laophontina dubia Norman & T. Scott , 1905 3 [syn. L. paradubia Cottarelli, 1983] (NEW ENTRY)

Genus Echinolaophonte Nicholls, 1941

Echinolaophonte armiger armiger(Gurney, 1927) 3
Echinolaophonte armiger typica Lang, 1965 3 (NEW ENTRY)
Echinolaophonte horrida (Norman, 1876) 3
Echinolaophonte minuta Cottarelli & Forniz, 1991 3
Echinolaophonte veniliae Cottarelli, Forniz & Bascherini, 1992 3

Genus Afrolaophonte Chappuis, 1960

Afrolaophonte pori Masry, 1970 3

Harrietella simulans: specie segnalata per il Mediterraneo senza dati precisi per le acque italiane; Laophonte commensalis: Sspecie segnalata per il Mediterraneo senza dati precisi per le acque italiane [from: CHECKLIST OF THE SPECIES OF THE ITALIAN FAUNA by F. Stoch (http://www.faunaitalia.it/checklist/)]

Family Longipediidae Brady, 1880

Genus Longipedia Claus, 1863

Longipedia coronata Claus, 1863 3, 4
Longipedia rosea G.O. Sars, 1903 4, 5 *
Longipedia weberi A. Scott, 1909 4 [questionable species]

* Nomen dubium (Wells, 1980).

Family Canuellidae Lang, 1944

Genus Canuella T. Scott & A. Scott, 1893

Canuella furcigera G.O.Sars, 1903 4
Canuella perplexa T. Scott & A. Scott, 1893 3, 4

Genus Brianola Monard, 1926

Brianola stebleri Monard, 1926 3

Genus Sunaristes Hesse, 1867

Sunaristes paguri Hedsse, 1867 *

* Specie segnalata per il Mediterraneo senza dati precisi per le acque italiane.

Family Darcythompsoniidae Lang, 1936

The Darcythompsonidae are a small, widepread family including four genera viz. Leptocaris, T.Scott, 1899 (syn. Horsiella Gurney, 1920), Darcythompsonia T. Scott, 1906, Kristensenia Por, 1983, Falcocaris Fiers (not ben diagnosed so far) and the recently described Pabellonia Gomez, 2000, with species for the most part living in decomposing mangrove-tree leaves, sea waters, a few in fresh or brackish waters.

Genus Leptocaris T. Scott, 1899

Leptocaris biscayensis (Noodt, 1955) 3
Leptocaris igneus Cottarelli & Baldari, 1982 3

Genus Darcythompsonia T. Scott, 1906

Darcythompsonia fairlensis (T. Scott, 1899) 4

Following its distribution, "the ancestral stock of Darcythompsonia could have originated in the equatorial Thetys Sea at sometime during the Late Triasic-Early Jurassic period" (Gomez, 2000).

Distribution of species of the genus Darcythomsonia (after Gomez, 2000, modif.)