Bopyrina ocellata (Czerniavsky, 1868)

Synonyms

Bopyrina giardi Bonnier, 1900

Status:

Native

ID Difficulty

Identification

Bopyrina ocellata is a parasite of the Chameleon Prawn Hippolyte varians, occurring in its branchial chamber. The female, which grows up to 1.7mm, has a somewhat asymmetrical tear-drop shape. Its pleon segments are fused to a degree, and may only be distinct on one side. There are only three or four pairs of indistinct pleopods. The male, which grows to 0.7 mm, has uropods.

Distribution and Habitat

The host species, Hippolyte varians, occurs around the coasts of Britain and Ireland, but B. ocellata has so far only been recorded from the Channel Island, south-west England and western Ireland.

References

Naylor, E. & A. Brandt. 2015. Intertidal Marine Isopods. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series), No. 3. Field Studies Council, for The Linnean Society of London.

BRC code

623

idBmigTaxa