Sphyriidae
{{Short description|Family of copepods}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Sphyrion laevigatum (MNHN-IU-2014-10898) 002.jpeg
| image_caption = Preserved specimen of Sphyrion laevigatum
| taxon = Sphyriidae
| authority = Wilson, 1919
| type_genus = Sphyrion
| type_genus_authority = Cuvier, 1830
| diversity = 8 genera, see text
}}
Sphyriidae is a family of marine copepods in the order Siphonostomatoida.
Taxonomy and history
The family Sphyriidae was established by Charles Branch Wilson in 1919 with Sphyrion as the type genus.{{cite WoRMS |id=135536 |title=Sphyriidae Wilson C.B., 1919 |db=copepoda |access-date=23 April 2025}}{{cite journal |last1=Wilson |first1=Charles Branch |author1-link=Charles Branch Wilson |year=1919 |title=North American parasitic copepods belonging to the new family Sphyriidae |journal=Proceedings of the United States National Museum |volume=55 |issue=2286 |pages=549–604 |doi=10.5479/si.00963801.55-2286.549 |doi-access=free}}{{cite book |last1=Boxshall |first1=G. A. |last2=Halsey |first2=S. H. |year=2004 |title=An Introduction to Copepod Diversity |publisher=Ray Society |location=London |pages=817–818 |isbn=0903874318 |oclc=54789384}} Wilson erected the family to include the existing genera of Opimia, Rebelula (now recognised as Lophoura), Sphyrion, and Trypaphylum (now recognised as Tripaphylus) and the newly described genera of Paeon (now recognised as Tripaphylus) and Periplexus.{{cite book |last1=Kabata |first1=Zbigniew |author1-link=Zbigniew Kabata |year=1979 |title=Parasitic Copepoda of British Fishes |publisher=Ray Society |location=London |pages=315–318 |isbn=0903874059 |oclc=6250377}} Eight genera are currently recognised.
Ecology
Adult female sphyriids are sessile mesoparasites of marine fishes, burrowing into the tissue of their hosts and anchoring themselves in place by expanding the cephalothorax or using a holdfast organ.{{cite journal |last1=Ho |first1=Ju-shey |last2=Kim |first2=Il-Hoi |year=1989 |title=Lophoura (Copepoda : Sphyriidae) Parasitic on the Rattails (Pisces : Macrouridae) in the Pacific, with Note on Sphyrion lumpi from the Sea of Japan |journal=Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory |volume=34 |issue=1–3 |pages=37–54 |doi=10.5134/176159 |doi-access=free}}
Species of Driocephalus, Norkus, Opimia, and Tripaphylus are parasites of epipelagic elasmobranchs, attaching to branchial or olfactory lamellae, while species of Lophoura, Paeonocanthus, Periplexis, and Sphyrion are parasites of mesopelagic to bathypelagic teleosts, attaching to body musculature.{{cite journal |last1=Gómez |first1=Samuel |last2=Deets |first2=Gregory B. |last3=Kalman |first3=Julianne E. |last4=Morales-Serna |first4=Francisco Neptalí |year=2010 |title=Lophoura brevicollum N. SP. (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida: Sphyriidae), A Parasite of the Smooth Grenadier Nezumia liolepis (Gilbert, 1890) (Pisces: Macrouridae) from the Eastern Pacific, And A New Record And New Host of Lophoura unilobulata Castro R. And Gonzalez |journal=Journal of Crustacean Biology |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=129–140 |doi=10.1651/08-3117.1 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2010JCBio..30..129G }} Adult males are sometimes observed attached to adult females.
Classification
This family includes the following genera:
- Driocephalus Raibaut, 1999
- Lophoura Kölliker, 1853
- Norkus Dojiri & Deets, 1988
- Opimia Wilson, 1908
- Paeonocanthus Kabata, 1965
- Periplexis Wilson, 1919
- Sphyrion Cuvier, 1830
- Tripaphylus Richiardi, 1878