Whale louse
A whale louse is a crustacean of the family Cyamidae. Despite the name, it is not a true louse (which are insects), but rather is related to the skeleton shrimp, most species of which are found in shallower waters. Whale lice are external parasites, found in skin lesions, genital folds, nostrils and eyes of marine mammals of the order Cetacea. These include not only whales but also dolphins and porpoises.
| Whale lice | |
|---|---|
| Cyamus boopis female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Superorder: | Peracarida |
| Order: | Amphipoda |
| Suborder: | Senticaudata |
| Infraorder: | Corophiida |
| Parvorder: | Caprellidira |
| Superfamily: | Caprelloidea |
| Family: | Cyamidae Rafinesque, 1815 |
| Genera | |
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