FLABELLIFERA • CYMOTHOIDAE 



171 



male eventually becomes a female (all cymothoids are protandrous) should a 

 female not already be present. In some species, the female is nonfeeding. In 

 those species which settle either in the mouth cavity or gill chamber of the 

 host, integumental pigment is frequently lost, and the eyes become reduced. 

 Given the highly variable morphology of the cymothoids, in part imposed 

 by the parasitic mode of life, and the existence of polymorphism and possible 

 sibling species, the taxonomy of this family demands the examination of large 

 numbers of specimens. As a further aid to identification. Table 3 is provided, 

 giving host species, parasite, and site of attachment. 



TABLE 3. CYMOTHOID PARASITES FROM THE CARIBBEAN AREA, LISTED BY FISH 

 HOST SPECIES 



Fish host 



Cymothoid parasite 



Site of attachment 



Abudefduf saxatilis 

 Acantkurus bahianus 



Acanthurus chirurgus 



Alutera schoepfi 

 Anchoa lamprotaenia 

 Apogon lachneri 

 Apogon maculatus 

 Apogon townsendi 

 Arius felis 

 As tr apogon stellatus 

 Batrachoides surinamensis 

 Caranx hippos 

 Caranx latus 

 Caranx ruber 

 Caranx sp. 

 Chaetodipterus faber 

 Chaetodon capistratus 

 Chaetodon ocellatus 

 Chaetodon sedentarius 

 Chaetodon striatus 



Anilocra abudefdufi 

 Kuna insularis 

 Anilocra acanthuri 



Anilocra acanthuri 



Nerocila acuminata 

 Lironeca tenuistylis 

 Mothocya bohlkeorum 

 Renocila colini 

 Renocila colini 

 Nerocila acuminata 

 Mothocya bohlkeorum 

 Nerocila acuminata 

 Cymothoa oestrum 

 Cymothoa oestrum 

 Cymothoa oestrum 

 Cymothoa oestrum 

 Nerocila acuminata 

 Anilocra chaetodontis 

 Anilocra chaetodontis 

 Anilocra chaetodontis 

 Anilocra chaetodontis 



beneath eye 



gill chamber 



9 at base of pectoral fin; 

 immature on or near 

 pectoral or pelvic fin 



9 at base of pectoral fin; 

 immature on or near 

 pectoral or pelvic fin 



on or at base of fin 



posterior to pectoral fin 



in gill chamber 



next to dorsal fin 



next to dorsal fin 



on or at base of fin 



in gill chamber 



on or at base of fin 



inside mouth 



inside mouth 



inside mouth 



inside mouth 



on or at base of fin 



beneath eye 



beneath eye 



beneath eye 



beneath eye 



{continued) 



