- Ergasilidae
Taxobox
name = Ergasilidae
regnum =Animal ia
phylum =Arthropod a
subphylum = Crustacea
classis =Maxillopoda
subclassis =Copepod a
ordo =Poecilostomatoida
familia = Ergasilidae
familia_authority = Von Nordmann, 1832
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Abergasilus "
"Dermoergasilus "
"Ergasilus "
"Neoergasilus "
"Nipergasilus "
"Paraergasilus "
"Thersitina "Ergasilidae is a widespread and species–rich family of
copepod s, parasitic on both marine and freshwaterfish es, but are primarily found to be parasitic to freshwater fish. The hosts gill filaments are used by" Ergasilus" spp. to cling to. The females are usually found hanging on to the host by attaching their antennae to the host's gills. When "Ergasilus" spp. are detached from the host's gills they are able to swim around the water without difficulty. Since the "Ergasilus" spp. use the fish's gills to cling to, a heavy infestation of this particular parasite can cause severe damage to the hosts gill tissue, interfere with respiration, cause secondary infections, and lead to death of the host(Roberts, et al. 2005). "Ergasilus" spp. males are found to be planktonic and it is known that females are fertilized prior to attaching themselves to the host's gills. For the most part, females are the only parasitic organisms under this genus. There is, however, a species under this genus called E." chautauquaensis" that might be the only nonparasitic species (Roberts, et al. 2005).Genera include "
Abergasilus ", "Dermoergasilus ", "Ergasilus ", "Neoergasilus ", "Nipergasilus ", "Paraergasilus " and "Thersitina ".References
*ITIS|ID=88598|taxon=Ergasilidae
*cite journal |quotes=no |url=http://www.rsnz.org/publish/nzjmfr/1978/22.php |title="Abergasilus amplexus" gen. et sp. nov. (Ergasilidae; parasitic Copepoda) from fishes in Lake Ellesmere, New Zealand |journal=New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research |volume=12 |issue=2 |year=1978 |author=G. C. Hewitt |pages=173–177
*Roberts, L and Janovy, J (2005). Gerald D. Schmidt & Larry S. Robert's Foundations of Parasitology. 537-538.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
