Family PENNELLIDAE Burmeister, 1835
Compiler and date details
30 June 2007 - Walker-Smith, G.K., Cook, K.N. & Chilton-Lahey, K.L.
- Pennellidae Burmeister, 1835.
Type genus:
Pennella Oken, 1815.Compiled from secondary source:
Boxshall, G.A. & Halsey, S.H. 2004. An Introduction to Copepod Diversity. London : The Ray Society 966 pp. [805].
Introduction
Typically pennellid species have two different hosts during their life cycle. Initially, there is a short planktonic stage, after which the copepodid attaches to either a fish or pelagic gastropod mollusc host. Once mating has occurred on the first host, the female leaves to locate a second host, usually another fish, but sometimes a marine mammal. The largest of all copepods belongs to a genus in this family (i.e. Penella), and has a body length up to 250 mm in length. The family comprises 20 genera, and over 90 species. See Boxshall & Halsey (2004: 805) for more details as well as a key to the genera.
ID Keys
For a key to the genera see Boxshall & Halsey (2004).
General References
Boxshall, G.A. & Halsey, S.H. 2004. An Introduction to Copepod Diversity. London : The Ray Society 966 pp.