New records of parasitic copepod (Crustacea, Siphonostomatoida, Pennellidae) found on the body surface of two cetacean species in China.

Background: Koren & Danielssen, 1877 (Crustacea, Siphonostomatoida, Pennellidae) is so far known as the largest copepod species and has only been found as a parasite on marine mammals. Previous studies on parasitic copepods in China only focused on those found on economic fishes, no records of having ever been reported before.

New Information: A Bryde's whale ( Anderson, 1879) and a pygmy sperm whale [ (Blainville, 1838)] were respectively stranded on the eastern and southern coast of China in 2021 and 2022. A total of eight parasitic copepods found on their body surface were sampled and examined. The parasites were identified as , based on morphological characteristics and measurements. Descriptions and photomicrographs of this newly-recorded species from China are given in the present study.