Cymothoidae
Encyclopedia
Cymothoidae is a family
of isopods. Several species are parasites, usually of fish
. These include the bizarre "tongue-biter", Cymothoa exigua
.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of isopods. Several species are parasites, usually of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
. These include the bizarre "tongue-biter", Cymothoa exigua
Cymothoa exigua
Cymothoa exigua, or the tongue-eating louse, is a parasitic crustacean of the family Cymothoidae. It tends to be long. This parasite enters through the gills, and then attaches itself at the base of the spotted rose snapper's tongue. It extracts blood through the claws on its front, causing the...
.
Genera
Around forty genera are recognised- Aegathoa Dana, 1853
- Agarna Schioedte & Meinert, 1884
- Amblycephalon Pillai, 1954
- Anilocra Leach, 1818
- Artystone Schioedte, 1866
- Asotana Schioedte & Meinert, 1881
- Braga Schioedte & Meinert, 1881
- Catoessa Schioedte & Meinert, 1884
- Ceratothoa Dana, 1852
- Cinusa Schioedte & Meinert, 1884
- Creniola Bruce, 1987
- Cterissa Schioedte & Meinert, 1884
- CymothoaCymothoaCymothoa is a genus of parasitic isopod crustaceans, containing the following species:*Cymothoa asymmetrica Pillai, 1954*Cymothoa borbonica Schiödte & Meinert, 1884*Cymothoa brasiliensis Schiödte & Meinert, 1884...
Fabricius, 1787 - Elthusa Schioedte & Meinert, 1884
- Emetha Schioedte & Meinert, 1883
- Glossobius Schioedte & Meinert, 1883
- Ichthyoxenus Herklots, 1870
- Idusa Schioedte & Meinert, 1884
- Isonebula Taberner, 1977
- Joryma Bowman & Tareen, 1983
- Kuna Williams & Williams, 1986
- Lathraena Schioedte & Meinert, 1881
- Livoneca Leach, 1818
- Lobothorax Bleeker, 1857
- Mothocya Costa in Hope, 1851
- Nerocila Leach, 1818
- Norileca Bruce, 1990
- Olencira Leach, 1818
- Ourozeuktes H. Milne-Edwards, 1840
- Paracymothoa Lemos de Castro, 1955
- Philostomella Szidat & Schubart, 1960
- Pleopodias Richardson, 1910
- Plotor Schioedte & Meinert, 1881
- Pseudoirona Pillai, 1964
- Renocila Miers, 1880
- Rhiothra Schioedte & Meinert, 1884
- Riggia Szidat, 1948
- Ryukyua Williams & Bunkley-Williams, 1994
- Smenispa Özdikmen, 2009
- Telotha Schioedte & Meinert, 1884
- Tetragonocephalon Avdeev, 1978