My Biologist's Adventure #21 | Parasite ( Whale Louse )

in #steemstem7 years ago (edited)


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For your information, the whale louse actually comes from the Cyamidae family and it is a commensal crustacean. Actually, whale louse is an insect and it is known as the Skeleton Shrimp, we can find this species in shallow waters. Whale lice are an external parasite, we can find this louse in genital folds, the nostril and also at the eyes of the marine mammals( whales including dolphins and porpoise).

It has a flat body and reduces at the rear, there 3 pairs of legs at the back and they also have claws, it use the claws to cling to their host. The whale louse length range is depending on their species( from 0.2 to 1 inches). We can relate this whale louse with the species of whale. The louse will remain and follow their host for the rest of the development, they also have no experience to swim individually. We can relate this whale louse with the species of whale. The louse will remain and follow their host for the rest of the development, they also have no experience to swim individually. For your information, almost all of the species of the whale has louse species bind with them. The parasitic relationship is sex-specific if the louse with the sperm whales. Neocyamus Physeteris is only can be found only in the females and calves whale. Meanwhile, the Cyamus Catadontis can be found exclusively on the male whale's skin.

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Why the whale louse attach to the whale body ? Actually, they attach to the whale skin because of the power of the water current. If they do not attach to the host body, they can’t survive in the sea. For these reasons, that’s why we can find them in the wounds and the whale body opening generally. Meanwhile, the Whale Louse can be found on the head and in the ventral pleats of the Baleen Whales. On a single whale, there are so many of the whale louse around 8000 of whale louse live in whales. I can’t imagine that 8000.It’s so awful. There also species of the whale louse that play an important role, called as Barnacle infestation. The whale louse Barnacle species can be found on the Right Whale, the louse will live on the skin at the whales head Callosities. The parasite will eat Algae on the whale’s body, they also eat the wound and flaking skins of the host and they will not cause any illness for the Whale. Thanks for reading my post today, please keep following My Biologist’s Adventure.


Source:


  1. What is Whale Louse
  2. What is Baleen WHale
  3. What is Right Whale
  4. What is Callosity

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Nice,
So, in which category they are placed in: commensals, parasitic or mutualistic

Why did call them parasites? They are symbiotic microorganisms.

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