Ergasilus

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Ergasilus
Ergasilus.jpg
Ergasilus sp. females with one pair of eggs each on gills of northern pike
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Copepoda
Order: Cyclopoida
Family: Ergasilidae
Genus: Ergasilus
Nordmann, 1832  [1]
Species

See text

Ergasilus is a genus of copepod crustaceans occurring in both the ocean and fresh water, often called gill lice. The females are parasitic upon the gills of fishes. Being copepods, gill lice have a single median eye on their head. The second antennae are modified into prehensile pincers. Male gill lice are free-living. [2]

Species include: [1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Ergasilus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  2. "Fish lice". Encarta . MSN. Archived from the original on November 2, 2009.