Аннотация:Tantulocaridans are known to be the smallest parasitic crustaceans of copepods,
ostracods, cumaceans, tanaidaceans, isopods and amphipods from all over the
world. The class Tantulocarida was proposed in 1983. Since then about 30
species belonging to five families have been described. Yet information on their
ultrastructure and anatomy is still scarce.
Two new species of Tantulocarida from different families were described. One
individual (tantulus larva) of Serratotantulus chertoprudae Savchenko and
Kolbasov, 2009 (Basipodellidae) was found attached to harpacticoid host from
the abyssal depth of the Indian Ocean. Its tantulus is only 76μm long and
represents the smallest of the described species of Tantulocarida. Microdajus
tchesunovi Kolbasov and Savchenko, 2009 (Microdajidae) parasitic on a tanaid
Thyphlotanais sp. is the second tantulocaridan species from the Russian Seas.
New data on tantulocarid ultrastructure and morphology were obtained.
Cephalothorax of a tantulus larva contains unpaired stylet hollow in its proximal
part but with a solid tip, so it cannot be used for injection of any substances into
a host. A funnel-shaped organ (or proboscis) has four glandular ducts which are
used putatively to excrete an adhesive cement under the oral disk. A parasite
produces a rootlet system which penetrates into host tissues right under the
attachment site (the mouth) and is probably used for nutrition.
For the first time several free swimming males of Tantulocarida (Arcticotantulus
pertzovi and Microdajus tchesunovi) from the White Sea were reared. The
specimens were studied thoroughly with SEM and TEM.
The internal anatomy of tantulocaridan male was studied for the first time. The
cephalothorax of male contains a very specific comb-shaped tissue which
probably accumulates nutrients provided that adult males do not feed.