Irodes gracilis

Scientific Name:-

Irodes gracilis

Common Name:-

Malayalam Name:-

Category:-

Arthropoda

Status:-

Not known

Description:-

Female.Cephalothorax comparatively large, postero-laterally angular and antero-rnedially produced, making it triangular, a faint transverse groove indicates the line of fusion of the first thoracic segment. Thoracic segments two to four successively narrowing. Fifth segment anteriorly constricted and produced at the base of the legs. Genital segment large, proximally bulging. Abdomen four- jointed, long and narrowing. Caudal rami twice as long as broad, apical inner seta twice as long as outer. Distal segment of antenna ventrally spiny, with linguiform extension, three stout claws and two setae. Blades of mandible subsimilar and spiny. Maxillule with one small and two long setae. Claws of maxilla greatly unequal. Second segment of maxilliped irregular in shape, with small inner proximal projection carrying two setae, third segment absent. Rami of first leg three-jointed, endopod broader. Rami of legs two to four three-segmented. Endopod of second leg slightly longer and broader than exopod, second segment with one inner tooth, third with two teeth and a long barbed spine. First and second exopod segments with a short tooth consisting of a broad base and a short blunt narrow process, third segment with two similar teeth and two long spines. Exopod of third leg much stouter than endopod, first segment With short stout tooth, second and third with a large sickle-shaped fianged claw, third with two slender spines.Fourth leg comparatively small, each exopod segment With one tooth third with two additional spines, second endopod segment with one tooth, third with a tooth and a long spine. Distal segment of fifth leg highly fl~ttened and ovate, with three setiform spines

Threats:-

Not recorded

Remark:-

Parasitic on fishes of Kerala coast (Pillai, 1968, 1985).

Habitat:-

Marine, parasitic on fishes

Synonyms:-

Anchistrotos gracilis (Heller, 1865)
Bomolochus gracilis Heller, 1865
Taeniacanthus albidus Wilson C.B., 1911
Taeniacanthus flagellans Wilson C.B., 1913
Taeniacanthus indicus Pillai, 1963

References:-

Pillai, N.K. (1963). Copepods of the family Taeniacanthidae parasitic on South Indian fishes. Crustaceana, 6 : 110-128.
Pillai, N.K. (1985). The Fauna of India. Copepod Parasites of Marine Fishes. Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, India.

Image Courtesy: ZSI, Pillai (1985)

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