Morphological and Genetic Studies of Copepods in River Areas Affected by Thermal Pollution in the Komi Republic

New species of copepods (Elaphoidella bidens, Phyllognatopus viguieri, and Paracyclops imminutus) were found in 2018–2020 in the Vychegda and Sysola Rivers. These species are new both for the Komi Republic and the entirety of northern Europe. All of them were found exclusively in the areas of wastewater discharge of a timber processing company or in the urban wastewater of the city of Syktyvkar. The analyzed specimens were morphologically similar to the phylum descriptions. Certain features in the furca structure that were found only for P. viguieri from the Sysola River distinguish these specimens from the phylum form. Molecular-genetic studies provide evidence that the crustacean Attheyella crassa native to the Vychegda basin is identical to specimens of this species from Moscow oblast by their mtDNA-COI structure, while E. bidens from the zone of the effect of wastewaters of a pulp and paper production company in the Vychegda basin differs from representatives of this species from Moscow oblast by 14% and is similar to E. bidens from New Zealand. This characteristic feature of the Vychegda population of E. bidens indirectly confirms that the mechanism of species invasion into a new habitat is associated with wastewater. These copepod species, which are new for the Komi Republic, represent a facultative, synanthropic fauna in the study region and can develop only in urbanized areas.