Chavturia Angel, 2013, new genus

Genus Chavturia, new genus

Type species. Chavturia abyssopelagica, new species.

Composition. At present the genus is monospecific.

Etymology. The genus is named in the honour of Dr Vladimir Chavtur, who has contributed extensively to the systematic, taxonomy and ecology of myodocopid ostracods from the Pacific, Arctic and Southern Oceans.

Generic Characteristics. Large deep-living halocyprid ostracods. Lateral aspect of carapace ovoid, lateral aspect slim (~40 % carapace length). Left asymmetrical carapace glands open close to posterior dorsal corner just anterior to the posterior end of the hinge. Right asymmetrical glands close but slightly above posterior ventral corner. Rostrum small. Large flange on lower margin of incisure. Frontal organ with a two-segmented stem that is as long as the limb of the first antenna and an S-shaped capitulum of similar length. The first antenna appears to be five-segmented. The second segment has a short terminal seta that curves anteriorly. The penultimate segment carries two sensory setae that are subequal with two of the three setae on the terminal segment, and are about half the length of the longest terminal seta. The protopodite of the second antenna is about a third the carapace length and the first exopodite segment is of similar length. The endopodites have no processus mamillaris and all the setae are long. The mandible is similar to the general halocyrid pattern, but the maxilla has an unusually long basal segment. The fifth and sixth limbs show little sexual dimorphism.