Laophontopsis Sars and the taxonomic concept of the Normanellinae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida): A revision

The taxonomie concept of the subfamily Normanellinae Lang (Harpacticoida, Laophontidae) is revised. As a result a new family Laophontopsidae is proposed to accommodate Laophontopsis Sars and two new genera Aculeopsis and Telodocus. It is concluded that the presumed boreo-mediterranean distribution pattern displayed by the type species L. lamellifera (Claus) is merely the result of erroneous identifications. The population of northwest Europe is assigned to a new species L. borealis and another new species L. monardi is proposed for Monard’s (1928) material from Banyuls-sur-Mer. L. secundus Sewell is placed in the new genus Telodocus. Aculeopsis gen. nov. embraces only A. longisetosa spec. nov. and constitutes the most primitive genus of the family. The Laophontopsidae are placed within the superfamily Laophontoidea. The Normanellinae are provisionally upgraded to family level despite their diphyletic status because this narrows the diagnosis of the Laophontidae considerably. The genera are attributed to two clearly defined but non-related subfamilies, Normanellinae Lang (Normanella Brady) and Cletopsyllinae subfam. nov. (Cletopsyllus Willey, Pseudocletopsyllus Vervoort). The genus Pseudocleta Lang is relegated to incertae sedis within the Laophontoidae.