Baikalian cyclopoids represent one of the richest endemic faunas of freshwater cyclopoid copepods. The genus Diacyclops Kiefer, 1927 is the most numerous by species number in the lake. In this work, molecular-phylogenetic analysis of 14 species and 1 sub-species from Lake Baikal and its water catchment basin is performed. The regions of mitochondrial cytochrom-oxydase I (COI) and of nuclear small-subunit 18S rRNA were used as evolution markers. In the obtained set of COI gene sequences, an effect of synonymous substitution saturation is revealed. Baikalian representatives of the genus Diacyclops form at phylogenetic schemes by two markers a monophyletic group, it suggest their origin from a common ancestral form. Preliminary estimate of this group age is 20–25 My.

Eucyclops speratus (Lilljeborg, 1901) (Copepoda, Cyclopoida, Cyclopidae) was studied using various methods. Molecular genetic methods (comparison of COI and ITSn molecular markers) have shown that this species represents a species complex, and the following methods were used to search for differences between the species: analysis of qualitative and quantitative characters, linear morphometrics, landmark-based geometric morphometrics, and integumental pore pattern of the cephalothorax. Eucyclops sibiricussp. nov. from Middle Siberia is described. The two studied species can be considered pseudocryptic; the main morphological difference between the species is the number of setules on the inner side of the first and second exopod segments of the fourth pair of swimming legs: E. sibiricussp. nov. has 6–10 and 7–17 setules, respectively; E. speratus has 0–3 and 0–6 setules, respectively. The morphometry and integumental pore pattern of the cephalothorax were ineffective for identification and separation of species. The existing previous records of E. speratus were also analyzed, and the records of this species in the Irkutsk region (Russia), as well as in Japan and Korea, are attributed to E. sibiricussp. nov.

A new species, Diacyclops dyabdar sp. nov. from the Diacyclops crassicaudis (Sars, 1863) species group from northern Middle Siberia, is described. This species is interesting from an ecological point of view, as it lives mainly in watercourses. It is well-distinguished from other species of the group by the presence of spinules on the first segments of the third and fourth pairs of swimming legs, details of the ornamentation on the fourth pair of legs and caudal rami. A detailed comparison of the new species and D. crassicaudis is presented. Molecular markers, including cytochrome c oxidase (COI) of mtDNA and 18S rRNA, ITS1 and ITS2 of nuclear DNA were obtained for a single female of D. dyabdar sp. nov. A morphometric analysis of species and subspecies of the D. crassicaudis group was carried out. It showed slight differences between the described subspecies and some species. On this basis, the subspecies D. crassicaudis, as well as D. iranicus Pesce & Maggi, 1982 and D. fontinalis Naidenow, 1969, are synonymized with the subspecies type. A more precise diagnosis of the D. crassicaudis group is indicated. This group now includes six species. The taxonomic position of several questionable taxa of Diacyclops Kiefer, 1927 described from Iran is discussed: D. landei Mahoon & Zia, 1985; D. bicuspidatus jurenei Najam-un-Nisa, Mahoon & Irfan Khan, 1987; D. landei richardi Parveen, Mahoon & Saleem, 1988 and D. jurenei Parveen, Mahoon & Saleem, 1988. These taxa are accepted as nomen dubium.

Lake Baikal is inhabited by a relatively large number of cyclopid species, many of which are endemics. Two genera, Diacyclops Kiefer, 1927 and Acanthocyclops Kiefer, 1927, are the most specious in the lake. Taxonomic discrimination of the majority of representatives of these genera is difficult owing to their high morphological similarities and poor standard description. In this study, a molecular phylogenetic analysis of Lake Baikal members of the Diacyclops/Acanthocyclops group is performed on the basis of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. It is shown that a fragment of COI 1000 bp long is sufficient for intragenus discrimination of the cyclopids of Lake Baikal. The issues of Diacyclops/Acanthocyclops taxonomy are reflected in the obtained molecular data. Two distinct phylogenetic groups of Diacyclops genus with uncertain taxonomic status are revealed.

A redescription of the Lake Baikal endemic species, Canthocamptus (Baicalocamptus) longifurcatus Borutzky, 1947 (Harpacticoida: Canthocamptidae), is provided. The illustrated redescription of morphology of the female and male is supplemented by a genetic barcoding based on sequences of the mitochondrial COI marker. Canthocamptus (B.) longifurcatus is morphologically very similar to another representative of the subgenus, C. (B.) verestschagini (Borutzky, 1931), but can be well distinguished from the latter by the armature of the female furca and the structure of the last pair of swimming legs in the female and male. An analysis of the obtained COI sequences and their comparison with those of other harpacticoid species confirmed that C. (B.) longifurcatus belongs to the genus Canthocamptus Westwood, 1836: the smallest genetic differences (on average, 29.5%) were observed between the studied Baikal species and C. staphylinus Jurine, 1820 from Europe (Lake Geneva, Switzerland).