Gnathia pilosus

Gnathia pilosus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Malacostraca
Order:	Isopoda
Family:	Gnathiidae
Genus:	Gnathia
Species:	G. pilosus
Binomial name
Gnathia pilosus Hadfield, Smit & Avenant-Oldewage, 2008

Gnathia pilosus is the eighth gnathiid species to be described from South Africa. It occurs on the warmer east coast compared to the other seven gnathiids found on the colder west and south coasts of South Africa.^[1] Gnathiids have a polymorphic and biphasic life cycle (reproductive stage and ectoparasite larval stage). There are three larval stages with each stage having two forms, namely praniza and zuphea. The praniza is usually a replete, haematophagous phase while the zuphea is an unfed benthic dweller phase.^[2] Adults can be found in groups with a single male and up to 43 females and immature specimens.^[3] The free-living adults do not feed and are usually hidden in a cavity or sponge where reproduction will occur. The larvae of gnathiid isopods are known to parasitise a large variety of intertidal fish worldwide. The taxonomic classification of gnathiids is usually based on the morphological characteristics of the adult male. The detailed descriptions of the female and larva, however, are also important for identifying these life stages to species level when collected in the absence of males.^[4]