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.
Links
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS): https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=118200
Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) distribution map: https://mapper.obis.org/?taxonid=118200,118200
Aphotomarine: https://www.aphotomarine.com/isopoda_bopyrina_ocellata.html
BRC code
623