A female of Penaeus merguiensis de Man collected from Karachi fish harbour (8 May, 1993) was with a large specimen of bopyrid in its right gill chamber. Since this was the second record (see Tirmizi and Bashir, 1973) of a bopyrid from a species other than Parapenauopsis stylifera H. Milne-Edwards the specimen was examined out of curiosity

Kazmi, Q.B.

Tirmizi, N.M.

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Pakistan Journal of Marine Sciences, Vol.3(2), 171-175, 1994. 
NOTES·AND NEWS 
A NORTHERN INDIAN OCEAN RECORD OF A BOPYRID, 
PARAPENAEON JAPONICA (THIELEMANN, 1910) PARASITIC 
ON SPECIES OF PENAEID PRAWNS (PENAEUS) 
Quddusi B. Kazmi and N asima M. Tinnizi 
Marine Reference Collection and Resource Centre, University of Karachi, 
Karachi-75270, P.akistan. 
A female of Penaeus merguiensis de Man collected from Karachi Fish Harbour 
(8 May, 1993) was with a large specimen ofbopyrid in its right gill chamber. Since 
this was the second record (see Tirmizi and Bashir, 1973) of a bopyrid from a species 
other than Parapenaeopsis stylifera H. Milne-Edwards (cf. Qazi, 1959; Ahmed and 
Hakeem, 1982), the specimen was examined out of curiosity. 
It was immediately apparent that the specimen .though resembling Epipenaeon 
qadrii Qazi, 1959 showed several differences. The infested P. monodon reported by 
Tinnizi and Bashir (1973), housed in the Marine Reference Collection and Resource 
Centre (MRC) had another and much larger bopyrid (32 mm in length). The prawn 
was at some stage treated for fungus, the parasite was thus dislodged, no male was 
retrieved. 
Efforts for fresh collections were rewarding. Several parasites are now available 
from P. merguiensis. The specimens show considerable individual variations, the 
matter·was referred to J.C. Markham, USA who is of the opinion that the Pakistan 
specimens are referable toParapenaeonjaponica (Thielemann, 1910), though widely 
distributed is hitherto unknown from the Arabian Sea. 
According to Markham (1982) P. japonica 11 has been described often and well 
enough11 • We are therefore giving only a brief description of P. japonica with a 
restricted synonymy. Differences from Epipenaeon qadrii are also mentioned. 
Material of E. qadrii was collected from Parapenaeopsis sculptilis (Heller) and P. 
hardwickii (Miers). 
The abbreviations used are tl., for the total length, mw for the maximum width. 
The material is deposited in the collections of the Marine Reference Collection 
and Resource Centre. 
Parapenaeon japonica (Thielemann, 1910) 
(Figs.l,2) 
Epipenaeon japonica Thielemann, 1910: 7, 79,106,108, text figs. 11Penaeus sp. 11 ; 
Nataraj, 1943:53. 
Epipenaeon japonicum Barnard, 192~: 408. 
Parapenaeon japonicum Bourdon, 1979a: 480, figs.6,7; 1979b: 432. 
Parapenaeonjaponica Markham, 1982: 366, (complete synonymy), figs. 23,24. 
172 NOTES AND NEWS 
G H 
D 
.. ~'/' w . . 
I 
A. 
I J I N M 
Fig.l. Parapenaeon japonica (Theilemann). A-F female (tl. 21 :riun); G-K male (tl. 6 
mm). A, entire specimen, dorsal view; B, same, ventral view; C, antennae; D, 
third maxilliped; E, fifth pereiopod; F, pleopod; G, entire specimen, dorsal 
view; H, same, ventral view; I and J, antennae; K and L, first and last 
pereiopods respectively; M and N, developmental stage, 
NOTES AND NEWS 173 
Fig.2. EpipenaeoJ' qadrii Qazi. A-D female (tL 17 mm); E-G male (tl. 4 mm). A, 
female in dorsal view; .B, same in ventral view; C and D, antennae; E, antennae; 
E', same, tips enlarged; F, third maxilliped; G, first pereiopod.· 
174 NOTES AND NEWS 
MATERIAL AND MEASUREMENTS 
Infesting Penaeus merguiensis 1 female, tl.21 mm, mw 17 mm; 1 male, tl. 6 nun; 
mw 2 mm, 8 May, 1993, MRC Cat No. ISOP 4. 
Infesting Penaeus merguiensis 1 female, tl. 17 mm, mw 12 mm; 1 male, tl. 4 mm, 
mw 2 mm (hyperparasitized), 26 July, 1966; 1 female, tl. 15 nun, mw 12 mm; 1 male, 
tl. 5mm, mw 2.5 mm, 8 July, 1993; 1 female, tl. 19 mm, mw 19mm, 1 male, tl. 7mm, 
mw4mm, 15 July, 1993. 
Infesting Penaeus monodon 1 female, t1.32 mm, mw 23 nun, 1966. 
DESCRIPTIVE REMARKS 
Female: Parapenaeon japonica (Figs.lA and B) is a large sized species. It 
appears to be more elongated and narrower posteriorly than qadrii (Figs.2A and 
B). The frontal lamina is large and more strongly crenulatcd than in E. qadrii. The 
pereomeres are well-defined, all bearing distinct plates which arc crenulatcd at their 
margins. 
The antennae 1 and 2 (Fig.lC) are of three and four articles respectively; the 
antennae are each setose distally and with microscopically serrated margins, as 
illustrated, the articles in E. qadrii have more setae under high magnification (Figs. 
2E and E') the surface appears to be reticulate, somewhat scaliform, more pronounced 
on the margins (Figs.2C and D). 
The palp of the third maxilliped (Fig.lD) is quite similar to that of E. qadrii 
(Fig.2F), except being slightly elongated, the tips overlap. 
The pereiopods (Fig. IE) are unarmed and only with a few hairs on the merii and 
carpii; the pereiopodal joints (Fig.2G), in E. qadrii have more serrations than seen in 
the present species. 
The pleopods (Fig. IF) are slender, elongated and with numerous pronounced 
tubercles, those in E. qadrii are fewer and mostly rounded. 
Male: The thoracic somites of the male are all very distinct (Figs.l G and H), quite 
similar to those of E. qadri i, however, the notches between so mites appear to be rather 
deep when compared with those in E. qadrii (see Qazi, 1959, fig.5). The antenna 1 
and 2 (Figs.l I and J) have fewer setae than found in the antennae of E. qadrii (Figs.2E 
and E'). The pereiopods (Figs.lK and L) have a slightly better armature. 
REMARKS 
The female illustrated is not berried, however, there is one late larval form 
(Fig.lM,N ) with it. Majority of the females bear eggs. Parasites are found infesting 
P. merguiensison the right side and P. monodon on the left side. 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
We are grateful to Dr. J.C. Markham, Arch Cape Marine Laboratory USA for 
kindly providing the necessary literature, answering our queries and for reading the 
MS. The work is funded by the Office of Naval Research (USA) through grant 
No.00014-86-G-0229. 
NOTES AND NEWS 175 
REFERENCES 
Ahmed, M. and Z. Hakeem, 1982. The incidence of males and eggs in the brood pouches of females ofEpipenaeon 
qadrii Qazi, 1959 from the northern Arabian Sea. (Jsopoda; Bopyridae). Crustaceana 42:316-317. 
Barnard, K.H. 1925. Contribution to the crustacean fauna of south Africa No.9. Further additions to the Jist of 
Isopoda. Annals ofthe SouthAji-icanMuseum 20:381-412. 
Bourdon, R. 1979a. Epicarides de Madagascar. II, Bulletin du Museum National de Ia Histoire nature/le de Paris 
(4)1, Section A: 471-506. 
Bourdon, R. 1979b. Sur Ia taxonomie et l'ethologie de quelques Orbionines (Isopoda Epicaridea). Internat10nale 
Revue der gesammelten Hydrobiologie 64: 425-435. 
Markham, J.C. 1982. Bopyrid Jsopods Parasitic on Decapod Crustaceans in Hong Kong and Southern China. In: 
The Marine Flora and Fauna a_( Hong Kong and Southern China, [Eds.Morton B.S. and Tseng C.K.]. Hong 
Kong University Press, Hong Kong. Pp. 325-391. 
Nataraj, S. 1943. On three species ofbopyrid isopods from South India. Proceedings of the Indian Science Congress, 
Calcutta 30: 58. [Abstract] 
Qazi, M.H. 1959. Some bopyrid isopods of West Pakistan. The Scientist (Scientific Society of Pakistan, Karachi). 
3: 55-62. 
Thielemann, M. 1910. Beitrage zur Naturgeschichte Ostasiens. Herausgegeben von Dr. F. Doflein. Beitrge zur 
Kenntnis der Isopodenfauna Ostasiens. Abhandlungen der mathematischen- physischen Klasse der 
KoniglichenBayerischenAkademie der Wissensch{iften, Nachtraglicher Band. 2 (Abhandlung 3): 1-109. 
Tirmizi, N.M. and Q. Bashir, 1973. Shore and offshore penaeid prawns a_( northern Arabian Sea. University of 
Karachi Publication, Karachi. Pp.1-71. 
(Received: 13 December 1993) 


A northern Indian Ocean record of a bopyrid, Parapenaeon japonica (Thielemann, 1910) parasitic on species of penaeid prawns (Penaeus)

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A northern Indian Ocean record of a bopyrid, Parapenaeon japonica (Thielemann, 1910) parasitic on species of penaeid prawns (Penaeus)

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