Meeting Abstract

1.11  Jan. 4  A fabulous new species of parasitic isopod (Crustacea) found on deep-sea shrimp associated with glass sponges off Japan, with notes on phylogenetic relationships. BOYKO, C.B.; American Museum of Natural History cboyko@amnh.org

Two specimens of the shrimp Spongicoloides iheyaensis Saito, Tsuchida & Yamamoto, 2006 (Crustacea: Caridea: Spongicolidae) found in commensal association with hexactinellid glass sponges in deep waters off Japan were found to bear parasitic isopods (Crustacea: Epicaridea). Although initially identified by the authors of the host shrimp species as bopyrid isopods, these parasites occur attached to both the ventral surface of the abdomen and the anterior part of the carapace near the eyes and are referable to the genus Faba Nierstrasz & Brender � Brandis, 1930, which is a group of cryptoniscid isopods related to, but quite distinct from the Bopyridae. The genus Faba currently contains 3 species that are parasites of shallow water shrimp, including 1 originally described as a rhizocephalan barnacle; each species is known only from a single female type specimen (males are unknown). New information on morphological structures is offered, especially on the mode of attachment to the host cuticle, as well as developmental data gleaned from the contained embryos. A discussion on the phylogenetic affinities of Faba is given, with emphasis on its possible relationship to Danalia Giard, 1887, and on the validity of the Fabiidae sensu Danforth, 1963.