Redescriptions of two pennellid copepods, Peniculus minuticaudae Shiino, 1956 and Peniculus truncatus Shiino, 1956, are provided, based on postmetamorphic adult females collected from marine ranched fishes captured at Tongyeong marine living resources research & conservation center, Korea. Peniculus minuticaudae was collected from the soft fin rays of black scraper Thamnaconus modestus. It can be distinguished from the other two closely related congeners Peniculus ostraciontis Yamaguti, 1939 and Peniculus truncatus by having a well developed triangular-shaped abdomen; the abdomen is rudimentary in other two species. This is thefirst report of the occurrence of Peniculus minuticaudae in Korea. Peniculus truncatus was collected from the dorsal fin of Korean rockfish Sebastes schlegelii. It can be distinguished from Peniculus minuticaudae by the combination of a rudimentary abdomen, long neck and setae on leg 1 and from Peniculus ostraciontis by the long neck, slender trunk, and setae on leg 1. It is also shown that Peniculus truncatus captured from the same host in Korea was misidentified as Peniculus ostraciontis and hence, this is thesecond record of the occurrence of Peniculus truncatus in Korea. A key is provided for the 14 nominal species of Peniculus.
Keywords: Copepod; black scraper; fins; identification; key; parasite; pennellid; redescription; rockfish.