Prodajus ostendensis

Prodajus ostendensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Crustacea
Class:	Malacostraca
Order:	Isopoda
Suborder:	Cymothoida
Superfamily:	Bopyroidea
Family:	Dajidae
Genus:	Prodajus
Species:	P. ostendensis
Binomial name
Prodajus ostendensis Gilson, 1909[1]

Prodajus ostendensis is a species of marine isopod in the family Dajidae and is found in the North Sea. It is an ectoparasite of the opossum shrimp Gastrosaccus spinifer.^[2] It is normally found living in the host's marsupium and devouring its eggs.^[3]

Description

Prodajus ostendensis grows to a length of about 3 mm (0.1 in). The female has a symmetrical leaf-shaped body with the mouth on the underside and a two-lobed brood pouch enclosed by small oostegites. The segmentation is indistinct and the five pairs of pereiopods (thoracic limbs) are small and close to the mouth. The pleopods (abdominal legs) are either small or missing altogether. The male often has its segments fused together and has a relatively long pleon (abdomen).^[4]

References

1. Boyko, Christopher (2013). "Prodajus ostendensis Gilson, 1909". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
2. Shields, Jeffrey. "Epicaridea: the parasitic isopods of Crustacea". Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
3. Shimomura, Michitaka; Ohtsuka, Susumu; Naito, Kazunori (2005). "Prodajus curviabdominalis n. sp. (Isopoda: Epicaridea: Dajidae), an ectoparasite of mysids, with notes on morphological changes, behaviour and life-cycle". Systematic Parasitology. 60 (1): 39–57. doi:10.1007/s11230-004-1375-8.
4. de Kluijver, M.J.; Ingalsuo, S.S. "Prodajus ostendensis". Macrobenthos of the North Sea: Crustacea. Marine Species Identification Portal. Retrieved 2014-03-10.