Aegidae
Display parents3
TaxonAegidae
AuthorityWhite, 1850

The Aegidae are a family of isopod crustaceans. The adults are temporary parasites of fish, feeding on their hosts' blood before dropping off to digest the meal.[1] They differ from members of the family Cirolanidae in having only three pairs of hook-like pereiopods, whereas in Cirolanidae all seven pairs of pereiopods are hooked.[2] The family was first described by Adam White in 1850.[3]

The family contains the following genera:[4]

References

  1. ^ Richard C. Brusca, Vánia R. Coelho & Stefano Taiti (2007). "Isopoda". The Light and Smith Manual: Intertidal Invertebrates from Central California to Oregon. 4th ed. Sol Felty Light & James T. Carlton (eds.). University of California Press. pp. 503–542. ISBN 9780520239395.
  2. ^ Roger Tory Peterson & Kenneth L. Gosner (1999). A Field Guide to the Atlantic Seashore: from the Bay of Fundy to Cape Hatteras. Vol. 24. Peterson Field Guide. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 225. ISBN 9780618002092.
  3. ^ Wikidata item Q115584173
  4. ^ "Aegidae". 2011. 118272. Retrieved January 12, 2012.