Four Cases of Unusual Crustacean-Fish Associations and Comments on Parasitic Processes

Abstract

Abstract Unusual short-term associations provide insight into the long-term development or modification of parasitism. A superinfestation of a trap-held crevalle jack Caranx hippos by juvenile cymothoid isopods Cymothoa oestrum suggested loss of the mechanism controlling numbers of isopods on a host, and overcrowding on the host overcame this isopod's strict site specificity. Crabs (Decapoda) have not been reported as parasites of fishes, but unidentified crab zoeae superinfested the gills of a trap-held gray angelfish Pomacanthus arcuatus. Adult burrowing crabs Raninoides lamarcki invaded the gills of trap-held gray snapper Lutjanus griseus; this suggested how a relatively large crustacean could become an opercular chamber parasite and how wound feeding could occur. An apparent prey-to-predator transfer of the cymothoid isopod Anilocra acuta to a free-swimming king mackerel Scomberomorus cavalla also represented a move from an external to a pharyngeal-attachment position in this site-specific isopod. Tra...