Asterocheridae

Guides

Siphonostomatoida
Siphon-mouth Copepods
Siphonostomatoida is an order of copepods distinguished by siphon-like mandibles and a frontal filament used for host attachment. The order comprises 40 recognized families, with approximately 75% of all fish-parasitizing copepods belonging to this group. Most species are marine symbionts, though a few inhabit freshwater environments. Members exhibit diverse host associations, with 17 families parasitizing vertebrates (primarily fishes) and 23 families associated with invertebrates.
copepod parasite marine fish-parasite symbiont crustacean ectoparasite Siphonostomatoida biodiversity Southern-Africa Japan Brazil sponge-associate coral-associate developmental-stages chalimus frontal-filament siphon-mandible Asterocheridae Lernaeopodidae Pennellidae Hatschekiidae Sphyriidae Notodelphyidae Botryllophilidae