Abstract
During a regular plankton sampling programme around Sham El-Sheikh area, a copepod Pontella princeps Dana, 1849 (Calanoida: Pontellidae) was reported for the first time in the Red Sea water. Both sexes were collected and fully redescribed. The zoogeographical distribution of the species confirms that it is of Indo-Pacific origin. Gut contents analysis revealed that this species is a carnivore that feeds on a variety of planktonic copepods.