Nerocila monodi

, Nerocila monodi, Nerocila monodi

Afghanistan, Alaska, Algeria, Andaman and Nicobar, Angola, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Arctic, Argentina, Ascension Island, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Azores Islands, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canary Islands, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Cocos Islands, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Corsica Island, Crete Island, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, El Salvador, England, Equatorial Guinea, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, Galapagos Islands, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hawaii, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macedonia, Madagascar, Madeira Islands, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, North Korea, Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Reunion Island, Romania, Russia, Saint Martin, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sardinia Island, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Sicily Island, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uruguay, US Minor Islands, USA, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wales, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Amvrakikos Gulf, Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Aral Sea, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, Barents Sea, Bay of Bengal, Bay of Biscay, Beaufort Sea, Bering Sea, Black Sea, Bohai Sea, Cantabrian Sea, Celtic Sea, Chukchi Sea, Coral Sea, Dead Sea, English Channel, German Bight, Great Barrier Reef, Greenland Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Fonseca, Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Halmahera Sea, Iberian Sea, Indian Ocean, Java Sea, Korinthiakos Gulf, Labrador Sea, Levantine Sea, Lingayan Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, Moro Gulf, Okhotsk Sea, Pacific Ocean, Pagassitikos Gulf, Salish Sea, Saronikos Gulf, Scotia Sea, Sea of Azov, Sea of Marmara, Siberian Sea, South China Sea, Southern Ocean, Thermaikos Gulf, Yellow Sea

Nerocila monodi is a species of parasitic isopod crustacean belonging to the family Cymothoidae. This marine species is commonly found in the waters surrounding the African continent and exhibits a fascinating parasitic relationship with its hosts.

Description & Characteristics

Nerocila monodi possesses a distinctive elongated, flattened body structure, typical of isopods. This species can reach a maximum size of approximately 50 millimeters in length. Its body is segmented and covered with a hard exoskeleton that provides protection. The coloration of Nerocila monodi can vary, but it often displays a grayish-brown hue.

Habitat and Occurrence

Nerocila monodi is primarily found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, specifically along the coast of Africa. This species has a broad distribution, ranging from the western coast of Africa to the eastern coast, and can be found in both shallow coastal waters and deeper depths. Nerocila monodi is commonly observed in the neritic zone, the region of the ocean extending from the shoreline to the edge of the continental shelf.

Taxonomy

Nerocila monodi belongs to the class Malacostraca, which encompasses a diverse group of crustaceans characterized by their segmented bodies and well-developed appendages. Within this class, Nerocila monodi is further classified into the order Isopoda, a group of crustaceans that have flattened, dorsoventrally compressed bodies. The family Cymothoidae, to which Nerocila monodi belongs, comprises a large number of parasitic isopods that are known for their distinctive feeding habits.

Feeding

Nerocila monodi is a parasitic isopod that feeds on the blood of its hosts. This species typically parasitizes a variety of fish, including commercially important species like grouper and snapper. Nerocila monodi attaches itself to the host’s body using its strong claws and then penetrates the flesh with its mouthparts to feed on the host’s blood. This parasitic relationship can have significant consequences for the host, potentially weakening or even killing it.

Associated Species

Image References

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