Cercopagis pengoi (Ostroumov, 1891)
Fish-hook water flea
No Picture Available

Family:  Cercopagididae ()
Max. size:  0.21 cm BL (male/unsexed); 0.23 cm BL (female)
Environment:  pelagic; brackish; marine
Distribution:  Ponto-Caspian Region.
Diagnosis:  Body length of females varies from 1.2 to 2.3 mm, that of males from 1.2 to 2.1 mm. The caudal process exceeds the main body 3 to 7 times. With a distinctive long caudal process that terminates in a characteristically toothed loop.
Biology:  A euryhaline species that prefers brackish water environment (Ref. 7354). During feeding, it punctures the carapace, ingests the tissue and discards the exoskeleton (Ref. 95964).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 

Source and more info: www.sealifebase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.