''Chonopeltis'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

fish lice The family Argulidae, whose members are commonly known as carp lice or fish lice, are parasitic crustaceans in the class Ichthyostraca. It is the only family in the monotypic subclass Branchiura and the order Arguloida, although a second family, ...

in the subclass

Branchiura The family Argulidae, whose members are commonly known as carp lice or fish lice, are parasitic crustaceans in the class Ichthyostraca. It is the only family in the monotypic subclass Branchiura and the order Arguloida, although a second family ...

. These

crustaceans Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapods, seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, amphipods and mantis shrimp. The crustacean gr ...

are

ectoparasitic Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson ha ...

and spend most of their lives on the body of an aquatic

host A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places *Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County People * Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman * Michel Host ...

. Species of this

are found exclusively in Africa, and inhabit

freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does in ...

rivers.

Description

Members of this

do not grow any larger than a few millimetres in size. They have flat bodies covered by a

carapace A carapace is a dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods, such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates, such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the und ...

, and have two large suction cups, one on either side their heads. They use these suction cups to stick to their hosts. They feed on the host‘s various assets, including mucus, internal fluids and sloughed-off scales.

Life cycle

Their

larvae A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. T ...

live and grow on their host‘s body, and mating occurs on the body of the host. ''Chonopeltis'' species will not leave the host during the egg-laying process, as they are poor swimmers. This is in contrast to other members of the family)

Argulidae The family Argulidae, whose members are commonly known as carp lice or fish lice, are parasitic crustaceans in the class Ichthyostraca. It is the only family in the monotypic subclass Branchiura and the order Arguloida, although a second family, ...

, who must leave their hosts to mate. After mating, females will adhere their eggs to structures or

substrate Substrate may refer to: Physical layers *Substrate (biology), the natural environment in which an organism lives, or the surface or medium on which an organism grows or is attached ** Substrate (locomotion), the surface over which an organism lo ...

in their environment while the host is at rest.

Species

As of December, 2022, there are 12 species recognised in the genus ''Chonopeltis'': *''

Chonopeltis australis ''Chonopeltis'' is a genus of fish lice in the subclass Branchiura. These crustaceans are ectoparasitic and spend most of their lives on the body of an aquatic host. Species of this genus are found exclusively in Africa, and inhabit freshwater r ...

'' *'' Chonopeltis brevis'' *'' Chonopeltis congicus'' *'' Chonopeltis elongatus'' *'' Chonopeltis flaccifrons'' *'' Chonopeltis fryeri'' *'' Chonopeltis inermis'' *''

Chonopeltis lisikili ''Chonopeltis'' is a genus of fish lice in the subclass Branchiura. These crustaceans are ectoparasitic and spend most of their lives on the body of an aquatic host. Species of this genus are found exclusively in Africa, and inhabit freshwater r ...

'' *'' Chonopeltis liversedgi'' *''

Chonopeltis meridionalis ''Chonopeltis'' is a genus of fish lice in the subclass Branchiura. These crustaceans are ectoparasitic and spend most of their lives on the body of an aquatic host. Species of this genus are found exclusively in Africa, and inhabit freshwa ...

'' *''

Chonopeltis minutus ''Chonopeltis'' is a genus of fish lice in the subclass Branchiura. These crustaceans are ectoparasitic and spend most of their lives on the body of an aquatic host. Species of this genus are found exclusively in Africa, and inhabit freshwater r ...

'' *'' Chonopeltis schoutedeni''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q18583595 Crustacean genera