The first edition of this directory was published twenty-one years ago. Since then, numerous new species have been described, new genera have been created and others have been revised. The status of some families has been re-evaluated, leading to important changes in the order Harpacticoida. A new freshwater copepod order, Gelyelloida, has also been erected. This second edition includes all the significant new information collected from 1990, in an enlarged English edition.
Twenty-two families are treated, including some representatives of usually marine families that can be found in brackish inland waters. The families of Harpacticoida treated are, in alphabetical order, Ameiridae, Arenopontidae, Canthocamptidae, Canuellidae, Chappuisiidae, Cletodidae, Cristacoxidae, Darcythompsoniidae, Ectinosomatidae, Harpacticidae, Laophontidae, Leptopontiidae, Longipediidae, Metidae, Miraciidae, Nannopodidae, Parastenocarididae, Phyllognathopodidae, Tachidiidae, Thalestridae and Tisbidae. The Gelyelloida contains only the family Gelyellidae.
As in the other two volumes, the type species is listed first for each genus and marked with an asterisk. For each species, a complete taxonomic synonymy is given, followed by citations or references concerning the morphology, physiology, biology and ecology of the species. This is supplemented by information on distribution. All cited references are given, for which the abbreviations follow the system used in previous volumes. The scientific index includes all synonyms, allowing the reader to follow the trail of any citation of a species to its currently valid name.
This volume will be a standard reference for all those – researchers and conservationists included – with an interest in copepods.