Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Crustacea
Class Copepoda
Order Calanoida
Family Epacteriscidae

Enantronoides bahamensis Fosshagen, Boxshall & Iliffe, 2001

	Enantronoides bahamensis: after Fosshagen et al., 2001

Taxonomic Characterization: Last pedigerous somite with short and evenly rounded margins. Urosome 5-segmented; caudal rami shorter than fourth and fifth urosomites combined.  Caudal seta V on left ramus elongate, mote than twice length of corresponding set on right ramus. Rostrum short and broad, with minute filament at each corner. Left antennule apparently 26-segmented with partial fusion of segments X to XI; right antennule geniculate and 22-segmented (Fosshagen, Boxshall & Iliffe, 2001).

Disposition of Specimens: All specimens were deposited in the Museum of Natural History, London: male holotype BM(NH) 1997.2241.

Ecological Classification: Stygobitic

Size: Male holotype body length 2.10 mm.

Number of Species in Genus: One

Genus Range:

Bahamas: Exuma Cays: Enantronoides bahamensis Fosshagen, Boxshall & Iliffe, 2001
		Enantronoides bahamensis: species range

Species Range: Known only from Oven Rock Cave, Great Guana Cay, Exuma Cays, Great Bahama Bank, Bahamas

Closest Related Species: It is the only known species within the genus. The genus is most similar to Entranonia, a monotypic genus from an anchialine lava tube cave in the Canary Islands. The left antennule, antenna, maxilla, maxilliped, and legs 2-4 are similar in both.

Habitat: Anchialine limestone cave

Ecology: This species was collected with a plankton net or suction bottle from the water column in an isolated, inland anchialine cave.  Oven Rock Cave is the type locality of four monotypic genera of epacteriscid copepods: Bomburiella, Bofuriella, Oinella and Enantronoides.  Of these, only Bomburiella and Bofuriella have been reported from other caves, both occurring in caves on South Andros Island. In addition to the new copepods, other fauna in Oven Rock Cave includes remipedes, amphipods, halocyprid ostracods, thermosbaenaceans, polychaetes and the cirolanid isopod Cirolana troglexuma.

Life History: Originally described from a single male specimen.  Two additional male specimens obtained from the same locality were reported by Fosshagen & Iliffe (2004).

Evolutionary Origins: Phylogenetic analysis shows that Enantronoides clusters with Enantronia and Enantiosis species.

Conservation Status: Restricted to a single anchialine cave in the Exuma Cays.

Reference:

Link:

Contributors: Audun Fosshagen, University of Bergen, Norway; Geoff Boxshall, Museum of Natural History, London