OBJECTIVE: The identification of the external attaching fish parasitic cymothoid, Nerocila phaiopleura Bleeker 1857, is still based on the brief description of Australian specimens provided by Bruce (1987). The present study aimed to provide a redescription and molecular characterisation of Indian specimens of N. phaiopleura.
METHODS: Morphological identification was carried out based on microscopic examinations and taxonomic drawings. mitochondrial DNA cox1 was selected as the target gene for sequencing and molecular identification. Nucleotide genetic divergence (p-distance) and base-pair differences among the different species were determined using MEGA11.
RESULTS: Nerocila phaiopleura can be well separated from its congeners by the following combination of characteristics: Body about 2.4 times as long as wide, cephalon broadly rounded anteriorly; coxae posteriorly directed, acute and extending beyond their corresponding pereonite; pereonite 7 posterior angle produced, extending to the pleonite 1; pleonites 1 and 2 ventrolateral process posteriorly directed; uropod exopod straight and elongate, 1.7-2.0 times longer than endopod; uropod endopod lateral margin not serrate, no notch on medial margin; pereopods with short ischium; pleotelson triangular. The p-distance among N. phaiopleura and other available Nerocila spp. ranged from 21 to 19%.
CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the first detailed taxonomic redescription of Indian specimens of N. phaiopleura. Key taxonomic features of the life stages and molecular data are provided here to identify the species properly. Interspecific genetic divergence between N. phaiopleura and other Nerocila spp. is assessed for the first time. Studies in cymothoid life histories, genetics, and morphology are necessary to understand one of the least understood parasite families.

Patterns in parasite diversity are shaped by their environmental and ecological settings, and to better understand their interactions with hosts and the corresponding biology, it is crucial to understand these context-dependent patterns. To achieve this, we use cymothoid isopods, an important group of fish parasites, to test a long-standing hypothesis about parasite diversity and prevalence pattern: whether semi-enclosed water bodies allow low diversity and high prevalence of parasitic isopods. Specifically, we compare these patterns between Chilika lagoon (Odisha, India), a semi-enclosed water body, and the adjoining Odisha coast (India). Our finding reveals that the semi-enclosed Chilika lagoon has a considerably lower diversity of parasitic isopods than its adjoining open sea along the Odisha coast. Additionally, the parasitic isopod infection levels in Chilika lagoon are noticeably higher, and isopod assemblage is less even than those in coastal waters along the Odisha coast. Our results support the hypothesised association between enclosed water bodies, parasite diversity, and host prevalence and contribute to an enhanced comprehension of the ecology of parasitic isopods in distinct marine environments.

OBJECTIVE: Specimens of Elthusa from trashfish of the Indian SW coast were described as a new parasitic cymothoid, Elthusa nemo sp. nov., (Crustacea: Isopoda). Later, the branchial cavity of the Blotchfin dragonet Callionymus filamentosus Valenciennes, 1837 were documented as its micro- and macro-habitat (host).
METHODS: Fresh/live specimens of unidentified cymothoid samples were collected from the trash fishes obtained from Neendakara (08°30.0\' N 76°53.30\' E) fish landing centre, Kollam district, Kerala state, southwest coast of India. After a long search for the host species, we recovered the isopod from the branchial cavity of the deep-sea fish Callionymus filamentosus Valenciennes, 1837 (Callionymiformes: Callionymidae). The new species is described and illustrated based on ovigerous females.
RESULTS: Elthusa nemo sp. nov., has the following sets of combinations of characters: body slightly twisted, elongated, dorsal surfaces smooth, nearly twice as long as greatest width; pleon short, ~ 14% body length, 0.8 times as wide as pereon maximum width; widest at pleonite 2 and narrowest at pleonite 1; only pleonite 1, laterally overlapped by pereonite 7 posterolateral expansion and coxa 7; presence of appendix masculina on pleopod 2; uropods 0.8 times as the length of pleotelson; antenna with two plumose setae on article 4.
CONCLUSIONS: Elthusa nemo sp. nov., is the sixth species of the genus known from Indian waters.

Glyptothoa sagara gen. and sp. nov. is described from the host fish Glyptophidium macropus Alcock, 1894 (Ophidiidae), at depths 300 to 650 metres from the southwest coast of India. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene of the species was sequenced and compared with other closely related branchial cymothoid genera. Both morphological and molecular data corroborate the inclusion of this parasitic isopod as a new genus, and we describe Glyptothoa sagara gen. and sp. nov. The following combinations of characters characterise the genus: cephalon immersed in pereonite 1; dorsum vaulted; all coxae visible in dorsal view; coxae shorter than or as long as pereonites; pereonites 4-7 slightly decrease in width towards one side, slightly asymmetrical, lateral margins slightly constricted, in hunched side; relatively wide pleon, with large lateral gaps between pleonites; antennula narrowly separated by rostrum, slender, shorter than antenna; antenna with 13 articles, buccal cone obscuring antennal bases; brood pouch arising from coxae 1-4, 6; oostegite 1 bilobed; pleopods rami all simple, without proximomedial lamellar lobe, without folds or thickened ridges. The adult life stages, such as females (ovigerous and non-ovigerous), males and transitional stage of the new species are described. The species is currently known only from the type locality and the type host. The ecological remarks of the newly described taxon are also provided. The following species are transferred from Elthusa Schioedte and Meinert, 1884: Glyptothoa myripristae (Bruce, 1990) comb. nov., Glyptothoa propinqua (Richardson, 1904) comb. nov. and Glyptothoa caudata (Schioedte and Meinert, 1884) comb. nov.

Harrison\'s rule, a pattern predicting that the body size of parasites correlates positively with the size of their hosts, is well-supported. However, its interaction with highly distinct \"guilds\" of closely related parasites warrants further exploration. The increasing variance hypothesis predicts that the variance in parasite size should also increase with the size of their hosts. Though untested, in parasite taxa with differential sex-dependent pressures on body size, this relationship should also be divergent across sexes due to differential size-fecundity relationships. We compiled global data on sequentially hermaphroditic isopods (Isopoda: Cymothoidae) parasitic on fish from published literature. With a data set comprising of 204 marine cymothoid species and their hosts, we used Bayesian hierarchical models to primarily test (1) Harrison\'s rule and its scaling across three functionally distinct guilds (mouth, gill, external); (2) the increasing variance hypothesis and sex-specific patterns. Our results revealed a strong positive association between parasite and host body sizes, but with uniform scaling across guilds. Host size exerted divergent, sex-specific effects on the relative intraspecific variation in parasite size, where this association was positive in males and absent in females. Here, we show that Harrison\'s rule is independent of guild, suggesting body size evolution across all cymothoids is equally underpinned by the size of their hosts. The sex-specificity of the increasing variance hypothesis can be explained by female fecundity being tightly bound to body size, whereas the dependency of reproductive success on size is inherently more relaxed in males.

Cyclocotyla bellones Otto, 1823 (Monogenea, Diclidophoridae) is one of the few monogenean species reported as hyperparasitic: the worms dwell on cymothoid isopods, themselves parasites of the buccal cavity of fishes. We present here observations based on newly collected monogenean specimens from Ceratothoa parallela (Otto, 1828), an isopod parasite of Boops boops off Algeria and also investigated its diet to address whether Cy. bellones is indeed a hyperparasite, i.e., whether it feeds on the isopod. We also compared the body shape of various monogeneans belonging to the same family as Cy. bellones, the Diclidophoridae, including Choricotyle cf. chrysophryi Van Beneden & Hesse, 1863, collected from Pagellus acarne off Algeria. No morphological character of the anterior organs suggested any special adaptation in Cy. bellones to the perforation of the crustacean cuticle. The wall of the oesophagus and of the intestine of Cy. bellones was lined with a dark pigment similar to what is usually observed in haematophagous polyopisthocotyleans, and which is derived from ingested fish blood. We noticed that an anterior elongate stem exists only in diclidophorids dwelling on parasitic isopods and never in those attached to the gills. We hypothesize that the anterior stem of the body of Cy. bellones is an anatomical adaptation for the monogenean to feed on the fish while dwelling on the isopod. We thus consider that Cy. bellones is an epibiont of the parasitic crustacean, as it uses it merely as an attachment substrate, and is not a true hyperparasite.
UNASSIGNED: Vraiment un hyperparasite, ou simplement un épibionte sur un parasite ? Le cas de Cyclocotyla bellones (Monogenea, Diclidophoridae).
UNASSIGNED: Cyclocotyla bellones Otto, 1823 (Monogenea, Diclidophoridae) est l’une des rares espèces de monogènes signalées comme hyperparasites : les vers vivent sur des isopodes cymothoïdes, eux-mêmes parasites de la cavité buccale des poissons. Nous présentons ici des observations basées sur des spécimens de monogènes nouvellement collectés de Ceratothoa parallela (Otto, 1828), un isopode parasite de Boops boops au large de l’Algérie et avons également étudié son régime alimentaire pour déterminer si Cy. bellones est bien un hyperparasite (c’est-à-dire, se nourrit-il de l’isopode ?). Nous avons également comparé la morphologie de divers monogènes appartenant à la même famille que Cy. bellones, les Diclidophoridae, dont Choricotyle cf. chrysophryi Van Beneden & Hesse, 1863, collecté sur Pagellus acarne au large de l’Algérie. Aucun caractère morphologique des organes antérieurs ne suggérait d’adaptation particulière à la perforation de la cuticule des crustacés chez Cy. bellones. La paroi de l’œsophage et de l’intestin de Cy. bellones était tapissée d’un pigment foncé semblable à ce que l’on observe habituellement chez les Polyopisthocotylea hématophages, et qui est issu du sang de poisson ingéré. Nous avons remarqué qu’une partie allongée antérieure n’existe que chez les Diclidophoridae vivant sur des isopodes parasites et jamais chez ceux attachés aux branchies. Nous émettons l’hypothèse que la partie antérieure du corps de Cy. bellones est une adaptation anatomique permettant au monogène de se nourrir du poisson tout en vivant sur l’isopode. Nous considérons donc que Cy. bellones est un épibionte du crustacé parasite, puisqu’il ne l’utilise que comme substrat pour son attachement, et n’est pas un véritable hyperparasite.

Two distinct morphologies of Cymothoidae isopod, Lobothorax typus were collected from the marine water of Bay of Bengal, Goapalpur-on-Sea as the first record of this parasite from coastal water of Odisha, India. All specimens were found attached to the buccal region of different individuals of the same host fish Trichiurus lepturus. With the aid of COI gene sequencing and morphological analysis, the individuals were found to be conspecific. The most prominent variation among the two morphologies includes the size of 5th pereonite and pleon length to total body length ratio. These variations are as a result of the biphasic moulting process. Maximum Likelihood tree analysis based on COI gene sequences concluded the monophyletic taxonomy of different buccal attaching genera under the family Cymothoidae which is in congruence with their morphological divergence.

The genus Lobothorax Bleeker, 1857 is revised with the description of a new species collected from the gempylidaen fish Promethichthys prometheus (Cuvier, 1832) from the southwestern coast of India. A revised generic diagnosis is provided based on the redescription of the type species. Lobothorax aurita (Schioedte and Meinert, 1883) is here synonymised with Lobothorax typus Bleeker, 1857 based on the original description. Lobothorax nicosmiti Aneesh, Bruce and Kumar sp. nov. is described from the female stage and it is characterized by: pereonite 1 anterolateral expansion not extending to the anterior margin of cephalon; coarsely pitted pereonites dorsal surfaces; pereonites without dorsal median longitudinal ridges; anteriorly truncate cephalon; pleotelson about 0.6 times as long as wide, posterior margin weakly emarginate, broadly sub-truncate, lateral margins convex; maxilliped palp article 3 with three RS; pereopods basis much wider with prominent carina. A key to the species of Lobothorax Bleeker, 1857 is presented.

The present record of different developmental stages of the parasite Mothocya renardi (Bleeker, 1857) and gravid female of Mothocya collettei Bruce, 1986 from different individuals of same host Strongylura leiura (Bleeker, 1850) collected from Bay of Bengal, Gopalpur-on-Sea, Odisha, India are the first record of these parasites from the northern part of east coast of India. The record of Mothocya collettei from the host Strongylura leiura is the first host record for this parasite.

Present study records the occurrence and range extension of an ectoparasitic isopod, Norileca indica (H. Milne Edwards, 1840) from the branchial cavity of bigeye scad Selar crumenophthalmus (Bloch, 1793) collected from Pilobah, Great Nicobar Islands. Detailed morphological characteristic of the parasite were presented along with prevalence, mean intensity and abundance. Out of the 130 specimens of S. crumenophthalmus examined, 32 were found to be infested with N. indica. The sizes of the female specimens were in the ranges 14.0 to 20.1 mm and the male specimens were 13-14 mm.