''Cyamus boopis'' is a species of whale louse in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Cyamidae. It occurs in the Atlantic and Southern Oceans, possibly wider. This is an

ectoparasite Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...

that lives exclusively on

humpback whales The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the monotypic taxon, only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh u ...

. The infestation is most concentrated around the genital apertures, but occurs on all parts of the body, most commonly where there is an infestation of the

barnacle Barnacles are arthropods of the subclass (taxonomy), subclass Cirripedia in the subphylum Crustacean, Crustacea. They are related to crabs and lobsters, with similar Nauplius (larva), nauplius larvae. Barnacles are exclusively marine invertebra ...

species '' Coronula diadema''. Whale lice will promptly try to attach themselves to people when handling whales during processing.

Description

Males of the species grow to about 11.5 mm long and 4 mm wide, with the first antenna being about 5.25 mm long. Females grow to 9.5 mm long and 4 mm wide with the first antenna 3.5 mm. Both sexes have four-segmented antennae, the endmost containing strong bristles. The body comprises multiple segments, each containing hooks used to attach itself to the whale.

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Illustrations

Corophiida Parasitic crustaceans Crustaceans of the Atlantic Ocean Crustaceans of the Southern Ocean Crustaceans described in 1870 Taxa named by Christian Frederik Lütken {{Amphipod-stub