Saduria entomon

Saduria entomon
Dead Saduria entomon washed up on the beach
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Isopoda
Family: Chaetiliidae
Genus: Saduria
Species: S. entomon
Binomial name
Saduria entomon
(Linnaeus, 1758) [1]

Saduria entomon is a benthic isopod crustacean of the family Chaetiliidae.[1] It is distributed along the coasts of the Arctic Ocean and of the northern Pacific Ocean. It is also found in the brackish Baltic Sea, where it is considered a glacial relict.[2] Moreover it is present in a number of North European lakes, including Ladoga, Vänern and Vättern. It has been introduced into the Black Sea.[3]

Saduria entomon is one of the largest crustaceans in the Baltic Sea. The largest ones are found in the depths of the Gulf of Bothnia,[4] being almost 9 centimetres (4 in) in length.[2] S. entomon are sexually dimorphic, with males growing larger and maturing at larger sizes than females.[5] Most individuals die after reproduction; the species may be functionally semelparous, but it is probably capable of iteroparity. Its lifespan is 3 years, possibly much longer.[5]

Saduria entomon is a predator that feeds on other benthic animals, such as Monoporeia affinis. It is also a scavenger and a cannibal.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Saduria entomon (Linnaeus, 1758)". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved February 1, 2006.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Saduria entomon". Aquascope. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  3. Y. Kvach (2009). "First report of Saduria (Mesidotea) entomon (Linnaeus, 1758) (Isopoda: Chaetiliidae) in the Black Sea" (PDF). Aquatic Invasions 4 (2): 393–395. doi:10.3391/ai.2009.4.2.17.
  4. "Kilkki". The Baltic Sea Portal (in Finnish). Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Haahtela, Ilpo (1990). "What do Baltic studies tell us about the isopod Saduria entomon (L.)?". Annales Zoologici Fennici 27: 269–278.