This copepod was 750 µm long. I was really impressed from its hooks. Maybe it is a predator. I dont know the species and the genus.
5 pictures
Franz
a marine Copepod
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Hello Franz,
I think that it may be the copepodid stage of a Caligus species. There are many species of Caligus and they are parasitic on a wide range of marine fish species. The copepodid is the stage which attaches to the fish. It then quickly moults to a chalimus stage which is attached to the fish by a "filament".
Perhaps this will be of interest:
http://repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/d ... 04_329.pdf
Another very interesting post - thank you !
Brian
I think that it may be the copepodid stage of a Caligus species. There are many species of Caligus and they are parasitic on a wide range of marine fish species. The copepodid is the stage which attaches to the fish. It then quickly moults to a chalimus stage which is attached to the fish by a "filament".
Perhaps this will be of interest:
http://repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/d ... 04_329.pdf
Another very interesting post - thank you !
Brian
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Most interesting subject and great photos, Franz!
And thanks to Brian for letting us benefit from his knowledge and expericence! When I saw the hooks it screamed out "parasite" to me too, but I was remembering some Ergasilids I have seen and thus thinking more in the direction of Poecilostomatoida. But Brian's hypothesis of a copepodid stage of a caligid makes much more sense. In the photos I now can see structures that could well be interpreted as the frontal sac from which the filament will be pushed out.
We have on photomacrography.net a photo of an adult female caligid copepode, unfortunately it was already a bit decayed when I found it. However, one can recognize the two longish egg sacs and the flat and broad front body part with its membranous (b)rim which thus can closely fit to the host's skin and function as a sucker. That, together with other structures, replaces the permanent attachment via the filament later in the adults and enables them to move around on the host, or even swim about freely.
--Betty
And thanks to Brian for letting us benefit from his knowledge and expericence! When I saw the hooks it screamed out "parasite" to me too, but I was remembering some Ergasilids I have seen and thus thinking more in the direction of Poecilostomatoida. But Brian's hypothesis of a copepodid stage of a caligid makes much more sense. In the photos I now can see structures that could well be interpreted as the frontal sac from which the filament will be pushed out.
We have on photomacrography.net a photo of an adult female caligid copepode, unfortunately it was already a bit decayed when I found it. However, one can recognize the two longish egg sacs and the flat and broad front body part with its membranous (b)rim which thus can closely fit to the host's skin and function as a sucker. That, together with other structures, replaces the permanent attachment via the filament later in the adults and enables them to move around on the host, or even swim about freely.
--Betty
Atticus Finch: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view
- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
Lee, N. H. 1960. To Kill a Mockingbird. J. B. Lippincott, New York.
- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
Lee, N. H. 1960. To Kill a Mockingbird. J. B. Lippincott, New York.
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