what's that? Daphnia parasites? (image added)

Litonotus · Post by **Litonotus** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:06 am

I see many of them now.

Litonotus · Post by **Litonotus** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 12:07 pm

another image of that parasites (I suppose they are parasites)

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:15 am

I don't recognize what these are, and in the first photograph shot I can't really tell whether they are attached to the outside of the daphnia or actually inside.

If attached to the outside, there is a good chance they are not parasites. There is a large number of sessile organisms that will attach themselves to daphnia and other planktonic crustaceans, but are not parasitic.

In many samples it is hard to find a daphnia or any copepod that does not have something attached somewhere. Occasionally it does seem to get out of hand!

Litonotus · Post by **Litonotus** » Sat Dec 22, 2012 8:59 am

thank you (: the copepod with that 'luggage' is really great (:

If attached to the outside, there is a good chance they are not parasites

they were on 'arms' but also inside, stuck to the inner 'parts'.

I don't know if they are parasites but their way of attaching remind me leeches.

Franz Neidl · Post by **Franz Neidl** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 6:51 am

I have the suspect that this is a parasite - maybe the dinophycea Ellobiopsis.
But somebody should controll my opinion.
Ellobiopsis is a parasite on Crustacea.

Franz