Both were afterwards worshipped as marine divinities, Ino as Leucothea, Melicertes as Palaemon.
Probably because of folk associations between porta "gate, door" and portus "harbor", the "gateway" to the sea, Portunus later became conflated with Palaemon and evolved into a god primarily of ports and harbors.
Palaemon |
In Greek mythology, Melicertes (ancient Greek Μελικέρτης, sometimes Melecertes, later called Palaemon Παλαίμων) is the son of the Boeotian prince Athamas and Ino, daughter of Cadmus.