Gill Isopod [Elthusa raynaudii]
Description
Elthusa raynaudii, commonly known as the Gill Isopod, is a parasitic isopod that primarily infests the gill chambers of marine fish. The species has a global distribution, having been reported in various marine environments around the world. The adults are robust and dorsoventrally flattened with a large, shield-like carapace. The species has a complex life cycle involving multiple hosts and free-living larval stages.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Arthropods
Arthropoda
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Crustaceans
Malacostraca
|
| Order |
Isopods
Isopoda
|
| Family |
Cymothoidae
Cymothoidae
|
| Genus |
Elthusa
Elthusa
|