Recent marine Ostracoda from the Solomon Islands: part 1 – Cypridoidea, Platycopina and Cladocopina

Abstract. Sixteen species of marine Cypridoidea belonging to seven genera and a rather small fauna of nine platycopid and two cladocopid species from the Solomon Islands are described. Nine species are described and illustrated as new. They are: Paracypris contracta, Triangulocypris teeteri, T. umbonata, Aglaiocypris supercylindrica, Argilloecia teres, Propontocypris paracrocata, P. supertrigonella, Cytherelloidea asymmetrica and C. dictyotos ssp. nov. Five species have been described previously and 11 species are retained in open nomenclature. While the Cypridoidea comprise only 15% of the total fauna of 160 species recorded from the Solomon Islands, they are not insignificant and, in some environments, are among the dominant ostracods. The platycopids/cladocopids comprise only 13% of the total fauna but likewise are dominant in some environments. They are typically SW Pacific in character.