Temporary-parasite
Guides
Aegidae
aegid isopods
Aegidae is a family of marine and freshwater isopod crustaceans characterized by temporary parasitic relationships with fish hosts. Adults attach to hosts to feed on blood or tissue, then detach to digest meals. The family is distinguished from related Cirolanidae by having only three pairs of hook-like pereiopods rather than seven. Members occur in diverse aquatic habitats from shallow coastal waters to deep ocean environments, with some species documented at depths exceeding 2000 meters.
Cimex adjunctus
Eastern Bat Bug
Cimex adjunctus, commonly known as the Eastern Bat Bug, is a temporary ectoparasite of bats found across North America. Unlike the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius), this species is specialized on insectivorous bats rather than humans. It feeds on blood but does not remain on its host between meals, instead hiding in roosting sites. The species has been documented from multiple bat hosts including the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), Rafinesque's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), and the Eastern Small-footed Myotis (Myotis leibii). Research indicates that host association influences genetic variation in salivary protein genes, suggesting host-specific adaptation.
Ornithocoris
Ornithocoris is a genus of hematophagous cimicid bugs that parasitize birds. Species in this genus are temporary ectoparasites, feeding on blood during all life stages and retreating to nests or shelter crevices between meals. The genus includes economically significant poultry pests, with O. toledoi documented from galliform hosts and parrots in South America and the southern United States.