Scutuloidea kutu is a species of marine isopods in the family Sphaeromatidae, first described by Stephenson and Riley in 1996.[1][2][3] No subspecies are listed in the Catalog of Life.[4][5] The name "kutu" (Māori for "lice") was chosen as a metaphor, as the species lives on seaweed (i.e. the hair of hinemoana, a personification of the ocean).[3]
| Scutuloidea kutu | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Isopoda |
| Family: | Sphaeromatidae |
| Genus: | Scutuloidea |
| Species: | S. kutu
|
| Binomial name | |
| Scutuloidea kutu Stephenson & Riley, 1996
| |
Description and ecology
editMales are approximately 5–7 mm in length, while females are approximately 4–5 mm. Females are often carried on the backs of the males of the species.[3] Scutuloidea kutu can be visually distinguished from Scutuloidea maculata, a similar species in appearance which is also found in New Zealand waters, by colour, having a more spender body and eyes, as well as a pleotelson with no apical notch.[3]
Distribution and habitat
editScutuloidea kutu is found in the northern waters of New Zealand, where it lives in seaweeds, sponges and bryozoa in exposed reef formations, especially around red seaweeds such as Plocamium costatum and Osmundaria colensoi.[3] Specimens have been found in the Bay of Islands, Piha and Piwhane / Spirits Bay.[3]
References
edit- ^ Schotte, M., B.F. Kensley, and S. Shilling. (1995) nwards). World list of Marine, Freshwater and Terrestrial Crustacea Isopoda. National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution: Washington D.C., USA.,
- ^ Poore, G.C.B.; Bruce, N. (2009) Isopoda (Crustacea). In: Gordon, D. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity. Volume One: Kingdom Animalia. 584 pp,
- ^ a b c d e f Stephenson, A. B.; Riley, J. L. (1996). "Scutuloidea kutu, a New Species of Sphaeromatidae (Isopoda: Crustacea) from New Zealand". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 33: 195–200. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42906464. Wikidata Q58677505.
- ^ Bisby F.A., Roskov Y.R., Orrell T.M., Nicolson D., Paglinawan L.E., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., Baillargeon G., Ouvrard D. (red.) (2011). "Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist". Species 2000: Reading, UK. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ WoRMS Isopoda: World List of Marine, Freshwater and Terrestrial Isopod Crustaceans. Schotte M., Boyko C. B, Bruce N. L., Poore G.C.B., Taiti S., Wilson G.D.F. (eds), 5 October 2010
External links
edit
Data related to Scutuloidea kutu at Wikispecies
