A review of the calanoid copepod family Pseudodiaptomidae with remarks on the taxonomy and distribution of the species from the Indian Ocean

Among the various families of calanoid copepods, Pseudodiaptomidac—a predominantly warm water neritic family is important in view of the preference which the members of the family show to coastal waters. No attempt has hitherto been made to investigate the intra Specific relationships of the species belonging to the family Pseudodiaptomidae from the Indian Ocean. In the present communication, a list of those species which have either been described or previously recorded from the Indian Ocean has been given with a brief description on their taxonomy. The validity of the two genera, namely Pseudodiaptomus Herrick and Schmackeria Poppe and Richard, with a view to separate the different species of the family has been discussed. The paper also gives information on the spatial distribution of the species of the family in the Indian Ocean