Vol. 51 No. 7, 2012

The First Records of Peltogastrid Rhizocephalans (Crustacea: Cirripedia: Rhizocephala) on Hermit Crabs (Paguroidea) in Taiwan and Differences in Prevalences among Collection Sites

Ryuta Yoshida1,*, Mamiko Hirose1, Hin-Kiu Mok2, and Euichi Hirose1

¹Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
²Institute of Marine Biology, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan

Ryuta Yoshida, Mamiko Hirose, Hin-Kiu Mok, and Euichi Hirose (2012) From collections of 3073 individual hermit crabs in Taiwan, representing 56 species, 53 individuals of 3 different species were found to be infested by 3 species of rhizocephalans: Peltogaster postica on Pagurus angustus, Septosaccus cf. snelliusi on Diogenes tumidus, and Dipterosaccus indicus on Calcinus morgani.  Rhizocephalans were identified based on histological sections, and species identifications were consistent with partial sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene.  This is the 1st record of peltogastrid rhizocephalans (Crustacea, Cirripedia) from Taiwan.  The prevalence of peltogastrid species greatly differed among the collection sites, and hosts for Pel. postica and Dip. indicus differed from previously known hosts in the Ryukyus and other sites.  The microhabitat of the host species may be crucial to rhizocephalan parasitism success. 

Key words: Parasitic crustacean, Peltogastridae, Hermit crab, Prevalence, Taiwan.

*Correspondence: Tel: 81-98-895-8880.  Fax: 81-98-895-8576.  E-mail:4cd.riutae@gmail.com