Parasitic bopyrid isopod [Gyge branchialis]
Description
Gyge branchialis is a species of parasitic isopods in the family Bopyridae. It is found in the gill chambers of the shore crab Carcinus maenas. The females are large, up to 14 mm long, and have a strongly convex body to accommodate the brood pouch. Males are much smaller, only about 2 mm long. As parasites, they affect the reproductive capacity of their hosts, with infested females producing fewer eggs and infested males being less successful in mating.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Arthropods
Arthropoda
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Crustaceans
Malacostraca
|
| Order |
Isopods
Isopoda
|
| Family |
Parasitic Isopods
Bopyridae
|
| Genus |
Gyge
Gyge
|