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In the framework of an ongoing extensive phylogenetic evaluation of the Ceratonotus group (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Cletodidae), Poropsyllus menzelae gen. et sp. nov. from the sublittoral of south-western Cyprus (eastern Mediterranean Sea) and Paratouphapleura aaroni gen. et sp. nov. from the western Weddell Sea (Antarctica) are described. Both new species fit the autapomorphies of the Ceratonotus group but cannot be assigned to any of the genera so far known. Instead, each new species presents a set of derived characters that justify their placement in new genera, Poropsyllus gen. nov. and Paratouphapleura gen. nov., respectively. Furthermore, a comparison of the species placed in Ceratonotus Sars revealed that because of exclusive morphological deviations, Ceratonotus concavus Conroy-Dalton, C. steiningeri George, C. tauroides George, and C. vareschii George should be excluded from Ceratonotus and transferred to a new monophylum, Tauroceratus gen. nov. Likewise, Polyascophorus monoceratus George, Wandeness & Santos is characterized by several apomorphies that justify its transfer from Polyascophorus to a new taxon, Pseudopolyascophorus gen. nov. The Ceratonotus group is therefore increased to 31 species assigned to 13 genera. The systematic modifications conducted and resulting phylogenetic consequences are discussed in detail.
It appeared necessary to undertake a redescription of Laophontodes typicus T. Scott, 1894, but with the absence of the type specimen, several additional individuals collected from a number of regions were studied. The specimens chosen were from the western coast of Sussex and the Scottish Firth of Forth (UK), the Skjerstad fjord (Norway), the Patagonian continental slope (Chile) and the Great Meteor Seamount (subtropical north-eastern Atlantic Ocean). All specimens examined had been previously determined as L. typicus and deposited in the collections of renowned research institutions.
However, detailed morphological comparison revealed that only the Sussex material can be assigned to L. typicus; the remaining specimens represent distinct species whose original assignment to L. typicus was erroneous, due to a morphological ambiguity. Thus, the current status of L. typicus must be regarded as a species complex. The Sussex material enabled a detailed redescription of L. typicus. Additionally, five new species are described, namely L. scottorum sp. nov., L. sarsi sp. nov., L. gertraudae sp. nov., L. monsmaris sp. nov. and L. norvegicus sp. nov. They exhibit some morphological similarity, but equally present discrete characters justifying their establishment as distinct taxa. The descriptions are
accompanied by a detailed discussion that explains the justification of the splitting of L. typicus.