Lepeophtheirus pectoralis

Species of crustacean

Lepeophtheirus pectoralis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Copepoda
Order: Siphonostomatoida
Family: Caligidae
Genus: Lepeophtheirus
Species:
L. pectoralis
Binomial name
Lepeophtheirus pectoralis
Synonyms
  • Lernaea pectoralis Müller, 1776
  • Caligus pectoralis (Müller, 1776)

Lepeophtheirus pectoralis is a species of parasitic copepod from the northeast Atlantic Ocean, and the type species of the genus Lepeophtheirus.[1] It is a parasite of flatfish, with the European flounder (Platichthys flesus), the plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), and the dab (Limanda limanda) as the most frequent hosts.[2] It feeds on the mucus, skin, and blood of the fish, with egg-producing females infecting the pectoral and pelvic fins of the host, while immature individuals and males are found on the rest of the body.[3]

Lifecycle

Its lifecycle consists of five phases and 10 stages. The first two stages are free-swimming nauplius I and II, while the third stage is the copepodid stage, during which the copepod attaches itself to the fish. Stages IV, V, VI and VII are the chalimus stages, and are followed by the preadult and adult stages, when differentiation of males and females is possible.[4] Multiple generations are apparently produced per year, which show differences in longevity, size, and fecundity.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Walter, T. Chad, Boxshall, G. (2008). Walter TC, Boxshall G (eds.). "Lepeophtheirus pectoralis (Müller O.F., 1776)". World of Copepods database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  2. ^ Boxshall, Geoff (1976). "The host specificity of Lepeophtheirus pectoralis (Müller) (Copepoda: Caligidae)". Journal of Fish Biology. 8 (3): 255. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.1976.tb03949.x.
  3. ^ Boxshall, Geoff (1974). "Lepeophtheirus pectoralis (O.F. Müller); a description, a review and some comparisons with the genus Caligus Müller, 1785". Journal of Natural History. 8 (4): 445–468. doi:10.1080/00222937400770381.
  4. ^ Boxshall, Geoff (1974). "The developmental stages of Lepeophtheirus pectoralis (Müller, 1776) (Copepoda: Caligidae)". Journal of Natural History. 8 (6): 681. doi:10.1080/00222937400770581.
  5. ^ Frade, DG; Santos, MJ; Cavaleiro, FI (2016). "The reproductive effort of Lepeophtheirus pectoralis (Copepoda: Caligidae): insights into the egg production strategy of parasitic copepods". Parasitology. 143 (1): 87–96. doi:10.1017/S0031182015001493.
  • v
  • t
  • e
About plankton
By sizeBacterioplanktonPhytoplankton
Diatom orders
FlagellatesZooplankton
Copepod orders
Related topics
  • v
  • t
  • e
Pathogens
Parasites
Fish groups
Related topics
  • v
  • t
  • e
Generally
larger
flatfish
Halibut
True (2 species)
Other
Plaice
(4 species)
Turbot
True (1 species)
Spiny (3 species)
Other
Indonesian ocellated flounder


Three-eye flounder


Winter flounder


True turbot
Generally
smaller
flatfish
Sole
True
(135 species)
American
(28 species)
Tongue
(138 species)
Other
Other
flounder
Lefteye
(158 species)
Righteye
(101 species)
Large tooth
(115 species)
Southern
(6 species)
Other
Misc
Related
Taxon identifiers
Lepeophtheirus pectoralis
Lernaea pectoralis