Infestation Of Bopyrid Isopod Parasite (Bopyridae) on ‘Coral Banded Boxing’ Shrimp Stenopus hispidus Olivier, 1811 (Stenopodidae) in the Lakshadweep Archipelago

Bopyrid parasitic isopods (family Bopyridae Rafinesque) are unique and well known to utilize marine crustaceans as both intermediate and definitive host during their life cycle^1,2. The family Bopyridae is the largest and highly diverse group with 605 species under 8 subfamilies^2,3. The males are smaller than females (exhibiting reverse sexual dimorphism) and are attached to the ventral posterior region of the female abdomen⁴. Bopyrids used to infest either branchially or abdominally on a variety of crustaceans including brachyurans, anomurans, penaeids and carideans^1,2,5–7. Infestation of parasites has deleterious effects on host such as reduction in growth, energy and mainly resulting in reproductive failures^8–11. It can also affect the escape response of host to predators¹². Extensive studies have revealed bopyrid parasite infestation on caridean shrimps³. However, the infestation of parasite on Stenopodidean shrimps has been rarely documented^10,13–15. The present contribution is one such rare observation on the infestation of bopyrid isopod parasite on the marine ornamental shrimp Stenopus hispidus from Lakshadweep.