APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

A-P-H-O-T-O Wildlife Stock Image Library
Sphaeronella gottoi O'Reilly, 2001 ? - Parasitic nicothoid copepod in ostracod Cylindroleberis mariae host.
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Nicothoid copepod
Sphaeronella gottoi ?
- female parasite in ostracop host Cylindroleberis mariae 1

The image here is of what appears to be the parasitic copepod Sphaeronella gottoi found within the ostracod Cylindroleberis mariae, it was found at Albert Pier reef, Penzance, Cornwall, 29.09.18. Lat. long. 50.120173, -5.529270.

The copepod parasite was found on going through old images on knowing a little more about the hosts of the parasitic copepod genus Sphaeronella. On seeing the parasite in the images I sent the image to Myles O'Reilly, the author of this species. We both agree that the specimen here cannot be identified nor recorded because it has not been subject to physical examination. However, Sphaeronella species are fairly host specific and the host fits with this species. The image has been placed here to display what a parasitic copepod of the genus Sphaeronella looks like.One might expect to see it to the left og the eye rather than the right.

If this species was examined and was found to be S. gottoi, then it would only be the second time a specimen has been found of this species. The first time it was found was in Scotland, here it was found in Cornwall, it is therefore likely that the species could turn up anywhere in this ostracop host and should therefore be looked for.

Species named in honour of Robert Vivian Gotto the author of the title Synopses of the British Fauna "Commensal and Parasitic Copepods associated with Marine Invertebrates".

Thanks to Myles O'Reilly for his advice here.

Sphaeronella gottoi nicothoid copepod in ostracod Cylindroleberis mariae host parasitic copepod images
The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help
people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.