PHYLLOGNATHOPODIDAE Gurney, 1932


PHYLLOGNATHOPUS Mrazek, 1893 (syn. Belisarius Maupas, 1892 ;Viguierella Perrier, 1893)


The genus Phyllognathopus Mrazek, 1893, because of its large mandibular palp, peculiar maxillary gland and separation of the first thoracic segment from the head, is considered one of the most primitive genera of all the Harpacticoida.

It is widely distributed geographically: Europe, North America, North Africa, Malay Archipelago, Brazil, New Guinea, and Patagonia.

Members are exclusively freshwater animals, the most usual habitats being in leaf axils of some tropical plants (Bromeliaceae) and in damp moss. They have been recorded in the interstitial environment by several authors including Pennak (1940-P. paludosus)., Neel (1948-Phyllognathopus sp.), and Dussart (1963, 1966-P. viguieri).


  • Phyllognathopus camptoides Bozic, 1965 [Africa; fresh waters]
  • Phyllognathopus chappuisi (delachaux, 1924) [south America; fresh waters]
  • Phyllognathopus coecus (Maupas, 1892) [France; fresh waters] **
  • Phyllognathopus fodinatus (Ziegelmayer, 1923) (taxon inquirendum)
  • Phyllognathopus inexspectatus Galassi et al., 2011 [Italy; grondwaters]
  • Phyllognathopus insularis Chappuis, 1940 [Marion Island, brackish waters?]
  • Phyllognathopus labicauda Por, 1964 *
  • Phyllognathopus medius Por, 1964 *
  • Phyllognathopus paludosus (Mrazek, 1893) [Europe, Africa, USA, China; fresh, brackish waters] **
  • Phyllognathopus paracamptoides Bozic, 1968 [Reunion island; fresh waters]
  • Phyllognathopus viguieri (Maupas, 1892) [cosmopolitan ?; fresh waters, wells, moss]
  • Phyllognathopus volcanicus Barclay, 1969 [New Zealand; fresh waters] **

    * Dussart & Defaye (1990) erroneously reported these species in their "Répertoire Mondial des Crustacé Copépodes des eaux Intérieures", since Por (in litt.) confirmed me that he never described them.

    ** questionable taxa according to Karanovic (2004) (syn, Phyllognathopus paludosus Mrázek, 1893 ?)



    ALLOPHYLLOGNATHOPUS Kiefer, 1967

  • Allophyllognathopus brasiliensis Kiefer, 1967 [Brazil: river interstitial]



    PARBATOCAMPTUS Dumont & Maas, 1988

  • Parbatocamptus jochenmartensi Dumont & Maas, 1988 [Nepal; leaf litters]


    NEOPHYLLOGNATHOPUS Galassi & De Laurentiis, 2011

  • Neophyllognathopus bassoti (Rouch, 1972) [New Guinea, Philippines, India; ground waters]



    (after Galassi et al., 2011)


    UPDATED KEY TO GENERA OF PHYLLOGNATHOPODIDAE



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