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Branchiura
Argulus sp. on a stickleback
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Maxillopoda
Subclass: Branchiura
Thorell, 1864
Order: Arguloida
Yamaguti, 1963
Family: Argulidae
Leach, 1819
Genera & species

See text

Branchiura, commonly called carp lice or fish lice are a group of parasitic crustaceans of uncertain position within the Maxillopoda. Although they are thought to be primitive forms, they have no fossil record. Almost all are ectoparasites on fish, a few on amphibians [1].

Branchiurans have a flattened, oval body, which is almost entirely covered by a wide carapace. The compound eyes are prominent, and the mouthparts and the first pair of antennae are modified to form a hooked, spiny proboscis armed with suckers, as an adaptation to parasitic life. They have two pairs of thoracic appendages, which they can use to swim between different hosts. They leave their hosts for up to three weeks in order to mate and lay eggs, and reattach afterwards behind the fish's operculum, where they feed on mucus and sloughed-off scales, or pierce the skin and feed on the internal fluids [1]. The eggs hatch into parasitic postnauplius larvae.

The subclass contains a single order, Arguloida (occasionally "Arguloidea"), which contains a single family, Argulidae [2], although a second family, Dipteropeltidae has been proposed [3].

[edit] Classification

There are 173 recognised species, divided among six genera [4]:

Argulus O. F. Müller, 1785 [5]:

Binoculus Geoffroy St. Hilaire, 1762 [6]:

Chonopeltis Thiele, 1900 [7]:

Dipteropeltis Callman, 1912 [8]:

Dolops Audouin, 1837 [9]:

Huargulus Yü, 1938 [10]:

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Ben Waggoner. "Introduction to the Branchiura". University of California Museum of Paleontology. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/maxillopoda/branchiura.html. Retrieved May 6, 2007. 
  2. ^ Joel W. Martin & George E. Davis (2001) (PDF). An Updated Classification of the Recent Crustacea. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. pp. 132 pp. http://atiniui.nhm.org/pdfs/3839/3839.pdf. 
  3. ^ P. Myers, R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond & T. A. Dewey (2006). "Animal Diversity Web: Arguloidea". University of Michigan. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/classification/Arguloidea.html#Arguloidea. 
  4. ^ Geoff Boxshall (September 5, 2009). "Argulidae". in T. Chad Walter & Geoff Boxshall. World Copepoda database. World Register of Marine Species. http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=104070. Retrieved December 31, 2009. 
  5. ^ Geoff Boxshall (May 13, 2009). "Argulus O. F. Müller, 1785". in T. Chad Walter & Geoff Boxshall. World Copepoda database. World Register of Marine Species. http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=346846. Retrieved December 31, 2009. 
  6. ^ T. Chad Walter (July 15, 2008). "Binoculus Geoffroy St. Hilaire, 1762". in T. Chad Walter & Geoff Boxshall. World Copepoda database. World Register of Marine Species. http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=346846. Retrieved December 31, 2009. 
  7. ^ T. Chad Walter (July 15, 2008). "Chonopeltis Thiele, 1900". in T. Chad Walter & Geoff Boxshall. World Copepoda database. World Register of Marine Species. http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=346973. Retrieved December 31, 2009. 
  8. ^ T. Chad Walter (July 15, 2008). "Dipteropeltis Callman, 1912". in T. Chad Walter & Geoff Boxshall. World Copepoda database. World Register of Marine Species. http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=347072. Retrieved December 31, 2009. 
  9. ^ T. Chad Walter (July 15, 2008). "Dolops Audouin, 1837". in T. Chad Walter & Geoff Boxshall. World Copepoda database. World Register of Marine Species. http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=347079. Retrieved December 31, 2009. 
  10. ^ T. Chad Walter (July 15, 2008). "Huargulus Yü, 1938". in T. Chad Walter & Geoff Boxshall. World Copepoda database. World Register of Marine Species. http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=347264. Retrieved December 31, 2009. 



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