Bowhead Whale Louse [Cyamus nodosus]
Description
Cyamus nodosus infests the bowhead whales, and are typically found in the colder waters of the Arctic Ocean. They live in colonies in the skin folds and scars on the body of their host. The lice feed on the whale's skin and body fluids, and their life cycle is closely tied to that of their whale host.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Arthropods
Arthropoda
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Crustaceans
Malacostraca
|
| Order |
Isopods
Isopoda
|
| Family |
Whale Lice
Cyamidae
|
| Genus |
Whale Louse
Cyamus
|