Cryptoniscidae

Cryptoniscidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Isopoda
Suborder: Cymothoida
Superfamily: Cryptoniscoidea
Family: Cryptoniscidae
Kossmann, 1880
Genera

see text

The Cryptoniscidae are a family of isopod crustaceans in the suborder Cymothoida. The original description was made by Kossmann in 1880.[1] "Liriopsidae" is a junior synonym.[2] Members of this family are hyperparasites of rhizocephalid barnacles which are themselves parasites of decapod crustaceans. The morphology of the adult females gives little clue as to their true identity, but the free-living larvae show their true taxonomic affiliations.[3]

Alpheus sp. from Fiji with Faba sp. (Cryptoniscidae) attached to ventral surface

The family contains these genera:[2]

References

  1. Kossmann, R. (1880) Malacostraca (2. Theil, Anomura, Macrura, Schizopoda, Stomatopoda, Isopoda, Laemodipoda, Amphipoda). Zoologische Ergebnisse einer im Auftrage der Koniglich Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin ausgefuhrten Reise in die Kuestengebiete des Rothen Meeres, zweite Halfte, erste Lieferung: 67-140
  2. 2.0 2.1 World Register of Marine Species
  3. Virginia Institute of Marine Science