Isopod identification (pic)

[Rin]

Originally posted by rshimek
Hi,

Shrimps (Order Decapoda, Suborder Caridea) have some very different characteristics from Isopods (Order Pericarida, Suborder Isopoda).

From the photos this is clearly a shrimp: defined and evident carapace (lacking in isopods), eggs brooded under the abdomen(not done in isopods), differentially adapted legs (not in isopods,), etc.

Trust me. It ain't an isopod.

About 2 months ago I was doing my weekly bryopsis cleaning, I felt a burning sensation between my fingers. I pulled my hand out and found this little beast busily depriving my hand of its blood supply. The one in the picture below is about 1/4" long.



I was told on another board that it was an isopod, but your statement above about isopods has got me rethinking this. I was also told at the time that isopods generally don't thrive in most aquariums. I have a few of them that I can see. Unfortunately, they're damn hard to catch.

Thank You...happy Memorial Day. (If one is supposed to be happy on Memorial Day, that is.)

[MiNdErAsR]

Originally posted by Rin
I was told on another board that it was an isopod, but your statement above about isopods has got me rethinking this. I was also told at the time that isopods generally don't thrive in most aquariums. I have a few of them that I can see. Unfortunately, they're damn hard to catch.

That looks very similar to the isopods I've been dealing with. Here are a couple of closeups...

http://users.rcn.com/jfox61/macro/cirolanid.jpg
http://users.rcn.com/jfox61/macro/cirolanid1.jpg

Seems they will thrive if you have fish in the system, as this is their diet. They are nocturnal hunters, search after lights out with a flashlight. They are extremely fast, and very difficult to catch. I've been trying to starve them out in my fishless system, going on 7 months. Haven't seen one on a couple of weeks. My fingers are crossed.

HTH

[rshimek]

Originally posted by Rin

I was told on another board that it was an isopod, but your statement above about isopods has got me rethinking this.

Hi, I don't see why. This animal is an archtypical isopod; it lacks a carapace, if it were a female the eggs would be brooded under the thorax, and the legs all look alike.

Your animal is a cirolanid isopod and you may wish to do a search on them in this forum and on the Reef Central general archives. They are fish predators, and can handily remove all the fish from your system.

You hold the distinction of the first aquarist I know of who has served as a meal for them, although I have had one student who was dined on by one some years ago.

Not many isopods are common in our systems, but I think this is more a matter of introduction than anything else. Certainly there are lot of herbivorous or detritivorous species that should do well in our tanks.

[Sea Dragon]

I found three isopods while cleaning out my overflow today. Unfortunately I don't have a digital camera so I can't get a picture of them. They look very much like the images already posted here, though they are more opaque and have a pair of long apendages near the back. These stick out at a 45 degree angle, curve inward slightly, and are a little more than half the length of the body. The overall look is like a closed hand with the index and pinky fingers extended (rock on! ).

Just hoping this is something distinctive enough to make an ID without a picture.

[rshimek]

Hi,

If they have long appendages that are different from the other appendages, they are most likely not isopods. If you have saved the specimens, you may send them to me and I will be glad to identify them.

If not... my guess is that they are amphipods.