Asellote
Guides
Carpias
Carpias is a genus of small marine isopods in the family Janiridae, established by Richardson in 1902. Members of this genus belong to the suborder Asellota, a diverse group of mostly benthic crustaceans. The genus contains multiple described species found in marine environments. Records of this genus in biodiversity databases remain limited, with few documented observations.
Janiridae
Janiridae is a globally distributed family of marine isopods in the suborder Asellota, comprising over 170 species across approximately 23 genera. The family exhibits remarkable bathymetric range, from intertidal zones to hadal depths exceeding 6,000 meters. Most species inhabit shallow shelf waters within 100 meters depth, though several genera have colonized deep-sea environments including whale falls, hydrothermal vents, and abyssal plains. The genus *Jaera*, predominantly northern hemisphere in distribution, includes the notable deep-sea specialist *Jaera tyleri*, discovered on whale bones in the Southern Ocean at 1,445 meters depth—the first *Jaera* species documented in the southern hemisphere. Janiridae demonstrates broad environmental tolerance to salinity, temperature, and oxygen stress.