WoRMS taxon details
Sphyrion laevigatum (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
355752 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:355752)
accepted
Species
Chondracanthus laevigatus Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 · unaccepted (not a chondracanthid)
Chondracanthus levis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 · unaccepted
Lesteira kroyeri Thomson G.M., 1890 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Sphyrion australicus Thor, 1900 · unaccepted (synonym according to Ho (1992))
Sphyrion delagei Quidor, 1912 · unaccepted (synonym according to Ho (1992))
Sphyrion kingi Cunningham, 1871 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Sphyrion kroyeri (Thomson G.M., 1890) · unaccepted (synonym according to Ho (1992))
Sphyrion laevigatus Guerin-Meneville, 1829-1843 · unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect original spelling
Sphyrion stewarti Quidor, 1912 · unaccepted (synonym according to Ho (1992))
marine, brackish, fresh, terrestrial
Quoy, J.R.C., Gaimard, P. (1824). Chapitre 3: Zoologie. <i>In</i>: Freycinet, L.C.D. Voyage autour du monde, entrepris par ordre du roi. Exécuté sur les corvettes de S.M. l'Uranie et la Physicienne, pendant les années 1817, 1818, 1819 et 1820. 712 pp & 96 pls. Paris, Pillet Aîné, Imprimeur-Libraire. [details] 
(of Chondracanthus levis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) Quoy, J.R.C., Gaimard, P. (1824). Chapitre 3: Zoologie. <i>In</i>: Freycinet, L.C.D. Voyage autour du monde, entrepris par ordre du roi. Exécuté sur les corvettes de S.M. l'Uranie et la Physicienne, pendant les années 1817, 1818, 1819 et 1820. 712 pp & 96 pls. Paris, Pillet Aîné, Imprimeur-Libraire.
page(s): 86 [details]
(of Chondracanthus levis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) Quoy, J.R.C., Gaimard, P. (1824). Chapitre 3: Zoologie. <i>In</i>: Freycinet, L.C.D. Voyage autour du monde, entrepris par ordre du roi. Exécuté sur les corvettes de S.M. l'Uranie et la Physicienne, pendant les années 1817, 1818, 1819 et 1820. 712 pp & 96 pls. Paris, Pillet Aîné, Imprimeur-Libraire.
page(s): 86 [details]
Taxonomic remark Quoy & Gaymard: where they "listed it as
"CHONDRACANTHE LISSE. — Chondracanthus levis N." with the "CHONDRACANTHE...
Taxonomy Chondracanthus levis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 is the original name for this taxon. It was transferred to Sphyrion by Cuvier...
"CHONDRACANTHE LISSE. — Chondracanthus levis N." with the "CHONDRACANTHE...
Taxonomic remark Quoy & Gaymard: where they "listed it as
"CHONDRACANTHE LISSE. — Chondracanthus levis N." with the "CHONDRACANTHE LISSE" part seeming to be a common name meaning "smooth chondracanthid" and "Chondracanthus levis" being the intended binomial. " They use the same format for other species elsewhere in the text.
When he established Sphyrion, Cuvier (1830) referred only to "Chondracanthe lisse" of Q and G - which is the common name, not the binomen.
Guerin-Meneville was the first to use the name Sphyrion laevigatus.
According to Wilson's (1919) review of the family:
Guerin-Meneville translated the French 'lisse' into the latin equivalent laevigatus.
Stebbing (1900) changed the gender of the specific name to agree with that of the genus, making it laevigatum.
Wilson included in his list of synonyms of S. laevigatum, both Steenstrup's (1869) and Thor's (1900) use of Sphyrion laevis (note different spelling).
What to conclude? Well, the current situation is messy and needs fixing! I would propose to:
Remove Chondracanthus lisse from the list of scientific names in World of Copepods/WoRMS, it should be considered a vernacular name for Chondracanthus levis.
consider Chondracanthus levis as the original name (basionym) for Sphyrion laevigatus.
The bad news is that I cannot see why the valid name for this taxon is not Sphyrion levis (Quoy & Gaymard, 1824). Unusually for the time (1824) there is no real doubt over the identity of Quoy & Gaymard's species. Their one illustration of this distinctive species is identifiable and their description is validly published.
Personally, I consider that there is little to be gained for resurrecting a name that hasn't been used since 1900 to replace a well known and regularly used name. There are provisions in the Code to allow for suppressing unused names in the interest of nomenclatural stability, but to resolve this would require a nomenclatural act which needs a publication (we can't yet do this in WoRMS). [details]
"CHONDRACANTHE LISSE. — Chondracanthus levis N." with the "CHONDRACANTHE LISSE" part seeming to be a common name meaning "smooth chondracanthid" and "Chondracanthus levis" being the intended binomial. " They use the same format for other species elsewhere in the text.
When he established Sphyrion, Cuvier (1830) referred only to "Chondracanthe lisse" of Q and G - which is the common name, not the binomen.
Guerin-Meneville was the first to use the name Sphyrion laevigatus.
According to Wilson's (1919) review of the family:
Guerin-Meneville translated the French 'lisse' into the latin equivalent laevigatus.
Stebbing (1900) changed the gender of the specific name to agree with that of the genus, making it laevigatum.
Wilson included in his list of synonyms of S. laevigatum, both Steenstrup's (1869) and Thor's (1900) use of Sphyrion laevis (note different spelling).
What to conclude? Well, the current situation is messy and needs fixing! I would propose to:
Remove Chondracanthus lisse from the list of scientific names in World of Copepods/WoRMS, it should be considered a vernacular name for Chondracanthus levis.
consider Chondracanthus levis as the original name (basionym) for Sphyrion laevigatus.
The bad news is that I cannot see why the valid name for this taxon is not Sphyrion levis (Quoy & Gaymard, 1824). Unusually for the time (1824) there is no real doubt over the identity of Quoy & Gaymard's species. Their one illustration of this distinctive species is identifiable and their description is validly published.
Personally, I consider that there is little to be gained for resurrecting a name that hasn't been used since 1900 to replace a well known and regularly used name. There are provisions in the Code to allow for suppressing unused names in the interest of nomenclatural stability, but to resolve this would require a nomenclatural act which needs a publication (we can't yet do this in WoRMS). [details]
Taxonomy Chondracanthus levis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 is the original name for this taxon. It was transferred to Sphyrion by Cuvier...
Taxonomy Chondracanthus levis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 is the original name for this taxon. It was transferred to Sphyrion by Cuvier (1830) who referred to it only by its common name Chondracanthe lisse. It was Guerin-Meneville who first used the combination Sphyrion laevigatus for this taxon. The latter name is widely used but the name levis appears to have priority. This nomenclatural issue remains to be resolved. [details]
Walter, T.C.; Boxshall, G. (2025). World of Copepods Database. Sphyrion laevigatum (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=355752 on 2025-07-16
The webpage text is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 License
Nomenclature
original description
Quoy, J.R.C., Gaimard, P. (1824). Chapitre 3: Zoologie. <i>In</i>: Freycinet, L.C.D. Voyage autour du monde, entrepris par ordre du roi. Exécuté sur les corvettes de S.M. l'Uranie et la Physicienne, pendant les années 1817, 1818, 1819 et 1820. 712 pp & 96 pls. Paris, Pillet Aîné, Imprimeur-Libraire. [details]
original description (of Sphyrion delagei Quidor, 1912) Quidor, A. (1912). Affinités des genres Sphyrion (Cuvier) et Hepatophylus (G. N.). [Affinities of the genera Sphyrion (Cuvier) and Hepatophylus (G. N.).]. <em>Archives de Zoologie Expérimentale et Générale.</em> (5)10, notes et revue, 2:39-44, figs. 1-6. [details]
original description (of Chondracanthus levis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) Quoy, J.R.C., Gaimard, P. (1824). Chapitre 3: Zoologie. <i>In</i>: Freycinet, L.C.D. Voyage autour du monde, entrepris par ordre du roi. Exécuté sur les corvettes de S.M. l'Uranie et la Physicienne, pendant les années 1817, 1818, 1819 et 1820. 712 pp & 96 pls. Paris, Pillet Aîné, Imprimeur-Libraire.
page(s): 86 [details]
original description (of Sphyrion kingi Cunningham, 1871) Cunningham, R. O. (1871). Notes on the reptiles, Amphibia, fishes, Mollusca, and Crustacea obtained during the voyage of H.M.S. Nassau in the years 1866-1869. <em>Transactions of the Linnean Society of London.</em> 27: 465-502, pls. 58-59., available online at https://books.google.com/books?id=rgxQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA484 [details]
original description (of Sphyrion stewarti Quidor, 1912) Quidor, A. (1912). Affinités des genres Sphyrion (Cuvier) et Hepatophylus (G. N.). [Affinities of the genera Sphyrion (Cuvier) and Hepatophylus (G. N.).]. <em>Archives de Zoologie Expérimentale et Générale.</em> (5)10, notes et revue, 2:39-44, figs. 1-6. [details]
original description (of Chondracanthus laevigatus Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) Quoy, J.R.C. & J.P. Gaimard. (1824-1826). Zoologie. <em>In: L. de Freycinet (ed.), Voyage au tour du monde fait par ordre du roi, sur les corvettes de S. M: l'Uranie et la Physicienne pendant les années 1817 à 1820.</em> iv + 712 pp. [pp. 1-328, 1824; 329-616, 1825; 617-664, 1826]., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40871044 [details]
original description (of Sphyrion australicus Thor, 1900) Thor, S. (1900). Description préliminaire d'une nouvelle espèce du genre Sphyrion Cuv. (Sphyrion australicus n. sp.) d'Australie, comparée à Sphyrion laevis Quoy et Gaimard. [Preliminary description of a new species of the genus Sphyrion Cuv. (Sphyrion australicus n. sp.) from Australia, compared to Sphyrion laevis Quoy and Gaimard.]. <em>Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Série Zoologie et Biologie Animale, Paris.</em> (8)11:277-282, pls. 17-18. [details]
original description (of Lesteira kroyeri Thomson G.M., 1890) Thomson, G.M. (1890). Parasitic Copepoda of New Zealand, with descriptions of new species. <em>Transactions of the New Zealand Institute.</em> 22(2)5:353-376, pls. 25-29. (v-1890). [for 1889]. [details]
original description (of Sphyrion delagei Quidor, 1912) Quidor, A. (1912). Affinités des genres Sphyrion (Cuvier) et Hepatophylus (G. N.). [Affinities of the genera Sphyrion (Cuvier) and Hepatophylus (G. N.).]. <em>Archives de Zoologie Expérimentale et Générale.</em> (5)10, notes et revue, 2:39-44, figs. 1-6. [details]
original description (of Chondracanthus levis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) Quoy, J.R.C., Gaimard, P. (1824). Chapitre 3: Zoologie. <i>In</i>: Freycinet, L.C.D. Voyage autour du monde, entrepris par ordre du roi. Exécuté sur les corvettes de S.M. l'Uranie et la Physicienne, pendant les années 1817, 1818, 1819 et 1820. 712 pp & 96 pls. Paris, Pillet Aîné, Imprimeur-Libraire.
page(s): 86 [details]
original description (of Sphyrion kingi Cunningham, 1871) Cunningham, R. O. (1871). Notes on the reptiles, Amphibia, fishes, Mollusca, and Crustacea obtained during the voyage of H.M.S. Nassau in the years 1866-1869. <em>Transactions of the Linnean Society of London.</em> 27: 465-502, pls. 58-59., available online at https://books.google.com/books?id=rgxQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA484 [details]
original description (of Sphyrion stewarti Quidor, 1912) Quidor, A. (1912). Affinités des genres Sphyrion (Cuvier) et Hepatophylus (G. N.). [Affinities of the genera Sphyrion (Cuvier) and Hepatophylus (G. N.).]. <em>Archives de Zoologie Expérimentale et Générale.</em> (5)10, notes et revue, 2:39-44, figs. 1-6. [details]
original description (of Chondracanthus laevigatus Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) Quoy, J.R.C. & J.P. Gaimard. (1824-1826). Zoologie. <em>In: L. de Freycinet (ed.), Voyage au tour du monde fait par ordre du roi, sur les corvettes de S. M: l'Uranie et la Physicienne pendant les années 1817 à 1820.</em> iv + 712 pp. [pp. 1-328, 1824; 329-616, 1825; 617-664, 1826]., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40871044 [details]
original description (of Sphyrion australicus Thor, 1900) Thor, S. (1900). Description préliminaire d'une nouvelle espèce du genre Sphyrion Cuv. (Sphyrion australicus n. sp.) d'Australie, comparée à Sphyrion laevis Quoy et Gaimard. [Preliminary description of a new species of the genus Sphyrion Cuv. (Sphyrion australicus n. sp.) from Australia, compared to Sphyrion laevis Quoy and Gaimard.]. <em>Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Série Zoologie et Biologie Animale, Paris.</em> (8)11:277-282, pls. 17-18. [details]
original description (of Lesteira kroyeri Thomson G.M., 1890) Thomson, G.M. (1890). Parasitic Copepoda of New Zealand, with descriptions of new species. <em>Transactions of the New Zealand Institute.</em> 22(2)5:353-376, pls. 25-29. (v-1890). [for 1889]. [details]
Taxonomy
taxonomy source
Ho, J.S. (1992). Does Sphyrion lumpi (Kroyer) (Copepoda, Sphyriidae) occur in the Sea of Japan? With discussion on the origin and dispersal of Sphyrion Cuvier, 1830. Report of the Sado Marine Biological Station, Niigata University 22:37-48. [details] Available for editors 
[request]
[request]Other
context source (Deepsea)
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. The Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), available online at http://www.iobis.org/ [details]
additional source Heegaard, P.E. (1962). Parasitic Copepoda from Australian waters. Records of the Australian Museum 25(9):149-234, figs. 1-250. (28-v-1962) [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source Leigh-Sharpe, W.H. (1928). The genera Sphyrion and Basanistes (Copepoda) as represented by the collection of the British Museum. Parasitology, Cambridge 20:179-184, figs. 1-4. (13-vii-1928) [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source Marques, E. (1987). Copépode parasita de pescada. [Copepod parasite of hake.]. <em>Garcia de Orta, Série de Zoologia, Lisbon.</em> 12(1-2):17-18, tab. (English summary). [details]
additional source Pilgrim, R.L.C. (1985). Parasitic Copepoda from marine coastal fishes in the Kaikoura-Banks Peninsula Region, South Island, New Zealand. With a key for their identification. Mauri Ora 12:13-53, figs. 1-63. [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source Wilson, C.B. (1919). North American parasitic copepods belonging to the new family Sphyriidae. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 55(2286):549-604, pls. 50-59. (18-vi-1919). [details]
additional source Webber, W.R., G.D. Fenwick, J.M. Bradford-Grieve, S.G. Eagar, J.S. Buckeridge, G.C.B. Poore, E.W. Dawson, L. Watling, J.B. Jones, J.B.J. Wells, N.L. Bruce, S.T. Ahyong, K. Larsen, M.A. Chapman, J. Olesen, J.S. Ho, J.D. Green, R.J. Shiel, C.E.F. Rocha, A. Lörz, G.J. Bird & W.A. Charleston. (2010). Phylum Arthropoda Subphylum Crustacea: shrimps, crabs, lobsters, barnacles, slaters, and kin. <em>in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 2. Kingdom Animalia: Chaetognatha, Ecdysozoa, Ichnofossils.</em> pp. 98-232 (COPEPODS 21 pp.). [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source Dippenaar, S.M. & M.M. Sebone. (2022). Morphology of Three Sphyrion (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida: Sphyriidae) Species Infecting Teleost Fishes off South Africa with the First Description of Males of Two Species. <em>Diversity-Basel.</em> 14:1-14., available online at https://doi.org/10.3390/d14110929 [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source Barnard, K.H. (1955). South African parasitic Copepoda. <em>Annals of the South African Museum.</em> 41(5):223-312, figs. 1-33. (ii-1955). [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source Gayevskaya, A.V. & A.A. Kovaleva. (1984). Rachki roda Sphyrion (Copepoda, Sphyridae) u ryb Atlantiki. [Crustacea of Genus Sphyrion (Copepoda, Sphyridae) in Atlantic fishes.]. <em>Gidrobiologicheskii Zhurnal, Saratov.</em> 20(1):41-45, figs. 1-4. (26-i-1984, Russian with English summary). [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source Alvarez, M.A., M.M. Ribicich, J.T. Timi & G.P. Viozzi (Eds.). (2021). Parásitos en peces argentinos de importancia comercial. <em>Grupo ad hoc “parásitos en productos pesqueros” red de seguridad alimentaria, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.</em> 156 pp. [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source Heegaard, P.E. (1962). Parasitic Copepoda from Australian waters. Records of the Australian Museum 25(9):149-234, figs. 1-250. (28-v-1962) [details] Available for editors
[request]additional source Leigh-Sharpe, W.H. (1928). The genera Sphyrion and Basanistes (Copepoda) as represented by the collection of the British Museum. Parasitology, Cambridge 20:179-184, figs. 1-4. (13-vii-1928) [details] Available for editors
[request]additional source Marques, E. (1987). Copépode parasita de pescada. [Copepod parasite of hake.]. <em>Garcia de Orta, Série de Zoologia, Lisbon.</em> 12(1-2):17-18, tab. (English summary). [details]
additional source Pilgrim, R.L.C. (1985). Parasitic Copepoda from marine coastal fishes in the Kaikoura-Banks Peninsula Region, South Island, New Zealand. With a key for their identification. Mauri Ora 12:13-53, figs. 1-63. [details] Available for editors
[request]additional source Wilson, C.B. (1919). North American parasitic copepods belonging to the new family Sphyriidae. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 55(2286):549-604, pls. 50-59. (18-vi-1919). [details]
additional source Webber, W.R., G.D. Fenwick, J.M. Bradford-Grieve, S.G. Eagar, J.S. Buckeridge, G.C.B. Poore, E.W. Dawson, L. Watling, J.B. Jones, J.B.J. Wells, N.L. Bruce, S.T. Ahyong, K. Larsen, M.A. Chapman, J. Olesen, J.S. Ho, J.D. Green, R.J. Shiel, C.E.F. Rocha, A. Lörz, G.J. Bird & W.A. Charleston. (2010). Phylum Arthropoda Subphylum Crustacea: shrimps, crabs, lobsters, barnacles, slaters, and kin. <em>in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 2. Kingdom Animalia: Chaetognatha, Ecdysozoa, Ichnofossils.</em> pp. 98-232 (COPEPODS 21 pp.). [details] Available for editors
[request]additional source Dippenaar, S.M. & M.M. Sebone. (2022). Morphology of Three Sphyrion (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida: Sphyriidae) Species Infecting Teleost Fishes off South Africa with the First Description of Males of Two Species. <em>Diversity-Basel.</em> 14:1-14., available online at https://doi.org/10.3390/d14110929 [details] Available for editors
[request]additional source Barnard, K.H. (1955). South African parasitic Copepoda. <em>Annals of the South African Museum.</em> 41(5):223-312, figs. 1-33. (ii-1955). [details] Available for editors
[request]additional source Gayevskaya, A.V. & A.A. Kovaleva. (1984). Rachki roda Sphyrion (Copepoda, Sphyridae) u ryb Atlantiki. [Crustacea of Genus Sphyrion (Copepoda, Sphyridae) in Atlantic fishes.]. <em>Gidrobiologicheskii Zhurnal, Saratov.</em> 20(1):41-45, figs. 1-4. (26-i-1984, Russian with English summary). [details] Available for editors
[request]additional source Alvarez, M.A., M.M. Ribicich, J.T. Timi & G.P. Viozzi (Eds.). (2021). Parásitos en peces argentinos de importancia comercial. <em>Grupo ad hoc “parásitos en productos pesqueros” red de seguridad alimentaria, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.</em> 156 pp. [details] Available for editors
[request]
Present Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
From editor or global species database
Taxonomic remark Quoy & Gaymard: where they "listed it as "CHONDRACANTHE LISSE. — Chondracanthus levis N." with the "CHONDRACANTHE LISSE" part seeming to be a common name meaning "smooth chondracanthid" and "Chondracanthus levis" being the intended binomial. " They use the same format for other species elsewhere in the text.
When he established Sphyrion, Cuvier (1830) referred only to "Chondracanthe lisse" of Q and G - which is the common name, not the binomen.
Guerin-Meneville was the first to use the name Sphyrion laevigatus.
According to Wilson's (1919) review of the family:
Guerin-Meneville translated the French 'lisse' into the latin equivalent laevigatus.
Stebbing (1900) changed the gender of the specific name to agree with that of the genus, making it laevigatum.
Wilson included in his list of synonyms of S. laevigatum, both Steenstrup's (1869) and Thor's (1900) use of Sphyrion laevis (note different spelling).
What to conclude? Well, the current situation is messy and needs fixing! I would propose to:
Remove Chondracanthus lisse from the list of scientific names in World of Copepods/WoRMS, it should be considered a vernacular name for Chondracanthus levis.
consider Chondracanthus levis as the original name (basionym) for Sphyrion laevigatus.
The bad news is that I cannot see why the valid name for this taxon is not Sphyrion levis (Quoy & Gaymard, 1824). Unusually for the time (1824) there is no real doubt over the identity of Quoy & Gaymard's species. Their one illustration of this distinctive species is identifiable and their description is validly published.
Personally, I consider that there is little to be gained for resurrecting a name that hasn't been used since 1900 to replace a well known and regularly used name. There are provisions in the Code to allow for suppressing unused names in the interest of nomenclatural stability, but to resolve this would require a nomenclatural act which needs a publication (we can't yet do this in WoRMS). [details]
Taxonomy Chondracanthus levis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 is the original name for this taxon. It was transferred to Sphyrion by Cuvier (1830) who referred to it only by its common name Chondracanthe lisse. It was Guerin-Meneville who first used the combination Sphyrion laevigatus for this taxon. The latter name is widely used but the name levis appears to have priority. This nomenclatural issue remains to be resolved. [details]
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (2 publications) (from synonym Sphyrion kingi Cunningham, 1871)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (7 publications)
To MNHN Type collection (IU 2014-10898) (from synonym Sphyrion delagei Quidor, 1912)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Arthropoda Collection (1 record)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (7 publications)
To MNHN Type collection (IU 2014-10898) (from synonym Sphyrion delagei Quidor, 1912)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Arthropoda Collection (1 record)
From editor or global species database
Hosted externally, from synonym
