BOPYRID ISOPODA FROM SOUTHERN AFRICA 
BY 
BRIAN KENSLEY 
South African Museum, Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town, South Africa 
INTRODUCTION 
During the course of identifying decapod crustaceans collected during the seventh 
cruise of the R/V "Anton Bruun", as part of the International Indian Ocean 
Expedition, several specimens of bopyrid isopods were encountered. These are here 
described, along with a specimen from Inhaca Island, Mo?ambique. All are bran- 
chial parasites either of brachyurous or macrurous decapods. 
Argeiopsis n. gen. 
Diagnosis. - Female. Body only slightly asymmetrical. Cephalon broader than 
long. No obvious anterior lamina, posterior lamina with two strongly curved hook- 
like processes. Pereion of seven free segments, with seven pairs of well-developed 
pereiopods. Pleon of six free segments. Coxal plates entirely absent. Five pairs of 
biramous pleopods, rami unequal. Uropods uniramous, lamellar. Brood pouch open, 
only bordered by oostegites. 
Type species of the genus Argeiopsis inhacae n. sp. 
Argeiopsis inhacae n. sp. (fig. la-h) 
Material. - 1 ovigerous female, holotype, S.A.M. A10979, length 6.0 mm, breadth 5.0 mm, taken 
from right branchial chamber of Steizopus hispiduf (Olivier), collected at Inhaca Island, Mo?ambique. 
Description. - Female. Body longer than broad, left side bulging slightly more 
than right, asymmetry not very noticeable. Cephalon broader than long, anterior 
lamina hardly developed, two faint eye-spots present. Posterior lamina with two 
strong hook-like processes situated laterally. First antenna short, 3-segmented, 
second antenna about twice length of first, 4-segmented, two distal segments 
indistinctly indicated. Maxilliped with setose medio-distal corner, posterior portion 
with slender digitiform median process. 
Pereion consisting of seven free segments, first two segments more or less hori- 
zontal, rest strongly curved, third and fourth segments broadest. Anterior four 
segments laterally bilobed. Ovarian bosses present but indistinct. Coxal plates 
absent. Seven pairs of pereiopods present, last two on right side close together, all 
260 
Fig. 1. Argeiopsis inhacae n. sp. a, female, dorsal view; b, 2nd antenna; c, pleon, ventral view; d, 
7th pereiopod; e, 1st oostegite; f, lst antenna; g, posterior lamina of cephalon; h, maxilliped. 
261 
similar, dactyl short and strongly hooked. First oostegite with posterior portion 
medially produced into crenulate lobe. 
Pleon consisting of six free segments, coxal plates indicated only by a slight 
bulge at fusion of the pleopod. Five pairs of biramous pleopods present, first two 
pairs of left side with rounded lamellar exopods and broad endopods, third pleopod 
with small rounded exopod and smaller lobe-like endopod. Fourth and fifth 
pleopods with lamellar elongate exopods; endopods slender, digitiform. First to 
fifth pleopods of right side with exopods lamellar and elongate; endopod of first 
pleopod expanded, second lobe-like, third and fifth slender, digitiform, fourth 
reduced. Sixth segment slightly bilobed in dorsal view. Uropods uniramous, 
elongate and lamellar in form, with tiny papilla between them. 
Remarks. - A combination of several characters places the present genus close 
to the genera Argeia and Parargeia. These characters include the possession of 
seven free pereion and six free pleon segments, the reduced coxal plates, five 
pairs of biramous pleopods, and uniramous uropods. Several differences prevent 
the present material from inclusion in either of the aforementioned genera. The 
females of the genus Argeia are more obviously asymmetrical than the present 
material, possess reduced coxal plates, and small rounded inner rami of the 
pleopods. The maxilliped of As?geia has a notch at the medio-distal angle of the 
anterior plate, while Argelopsis has an unnotched maxilliped. The hook like pro- 
cesses of the posterior lamina of the cephalon are similar in shape, Argeja nier- 
straszi and Argeict touisi both possessing three, while two are present in Argeiopsis, 
The brood pouch in the present material, as in Argeia, is open, while in Parargeia 
the oostegites completely cover the eggs. Some of the pereion segments are laterally 
bilobed, with the posterior lobe of each segment more or less produced in Argeia, 
but not at all produced in Parargeia and the present genus. Although the pleopod 
rami of Parargeia are unequal, they do not resemble the situation in Arrgeio p.ra.r. 
A new genus must thus be erected to accommodate this female. 
Regrettably, a male was not found, thus limiting the generic diagnosis con- 
siderably. 
Bopyrella hodgarti Chopra, 1923 
Bopyrella hodgarti Chopra, 1923: 473, pl. 14 figs. 7-12. 
Material. - 4 ovigerous females, length 4.8-7.0 mm, 4 males, length 1.1-1.6 mm, from branchial 
chambers of Alphetls sp. from off Natal, 29?37'S, 31?33'E, 200 metres depth. 
Previous records. - From Alpheu.r cra.r.ri'manu.r Heller from the Bay of Bengal. 
Epipenaeon fissurae n. sp. (fig. 2a-j) 
Material. - 1 ovigerous female, holotype S.A.M. A13175, length 10.4 mm; 1 male, allotype, 
S.A.M. A13175, length 3.0 mm, from branchial chamber of Parape;zaeu.r lissurus Bate, taken in 
70 metres depth off Natal. 
Description. - Female. Body longer than broad, almost symmetrical. Cephalon 
broader than long, anterior lamina narrow, tiny eye-spots present. Posterior lamina 
consisting of three lobes on each side, bearing digitiform and papilliform out- 
growths. First antenna 3-segmented, basal segment enormous compared with two 
262 
Fig. 2. Epipenaeon fissurae n. sp. a, male, dorsal view; b, female, dorsal view; c, female, pleon, ventral 
view; d, posterior lamina of cephalon; e, female, 7th pereiopod; f, 1st oostegite, inner face; g, 2nd 
antenna; h, lst antenna; i, maxilliped; j, uropod. 
263 
tiny distal segments. Second antenna 6-segmented, two distal segments very small. 
Maxilliped bearing a hooked lobe at mediodistal corner. 
Pereion consisting of seven free segments, each with well-developed coxal plate, 
those of anterior four segments on right side, and anterior five segments on left 
side being somewhat elongate, rest of coxal plates broadly lamellar. First segment 
laterally undivided, second to seventh segments laterally bilobed, posterior lobe of 
second to fourth segments fairly broad, of segments five to seven much smaller than 
anterior lobe. Ovarian bosses present on first four segments. Brood pouch com- 
pletely closed by oostegites. Seven pairs of well-developed pereiopods on each side, 
basal segment of each with large dorsal expansion. 
Pleon consisting of five free segments, dorsally ridged at bases of coxal plates, 
latter well-developed, lamellar. Five pairs of biramous tuberculate pleopods present, 
first pair largest, rami subequal, roughly circular in outline. Uropods biramous, 
rami subequal, leaf-shaped. Neither pleopods nor uropods dorsally visible. 
Male. Body consisting of rounded cephalon, seven free pereion segments not 
markedly separated laterally, and triangular completely fused pleotelson. 
Remarks. - The presence of a well-developed anterior lamina, coxal plates 
on the pereion and pleon, five pleon segments in the female, a fused pleotelson in 
the male, five pairs of biramous pleopods, and biramous uropods, places this 
species in the genus E pi penaeoJl. Seven species have been described in this genus, 
all of which, together with the present species are very similar, and are separated 
on rather slender characters. The females of E. pestai Nierstrasz & Brender ? 
Brandis, 1931, E. giande Nierstrasz & Brender ? Brandis, 1931, and E. ovalis 
Pillai, 1954, all possess a 5th pleon segment consisting of a single dorsal plate, 
showing no indication of coxal plates. E. eleganJ Chopra, 1923, differs markedly 
from E. 
"fissurae in the almost circular outline of the female, while the uropods and 
distal portions of the pleopods are not as tuberculate. E. oviforme Nierstrasz & 
Brender a Brandis, 1931, like the previous species, is also almost circular in out- 
line, but the pleopods and uropods, from the figures (Nierstrasz & Brender 
F. Brandis, 1931, figs. 19-21) are elongate and not tuberculate. The female of 
E. nobilii Nierstrasz & Brender ? Brandis, 1929, although oval in outline, is not 
as elongate as E, f issur?ae, while the uropods and pleopods are dorsally visible and 
more elongate. The pleotelson of the male, with its underfolded margins, is very 
different from the solid pleotelson of the present species. The pereion segments 
of the male are also widely spaced laterally. E. ingens Nobili, 1906, the type species 
for the genus, most closely approaches the present species, but unlike the latter, 
possesses poorly developed coxal plates on the pleon, the dorsal surface of which 
is smooth. 
Gigantione sagamiensis Shiino, 1958 
Gi?lantione .ragarraien.ri,r Shiino, 1958: 45, fig. 9. 
Material. - 1 ovigerous female, S.A.M. A13176, length 5.0 mm, 1 male, length 1.8 mm, from 
right branchial chamber of a female xanthid crab Paraterkati.r longimanus Sakai, from off 
bique, 25?57'S, 33?02'E, 42 metres depth. 
264 
Remarks. - It is of interest to note that 6'..M???.i7j was first recorded from 
the xanthid crab Carpilode.r lophopus boninensis Odhner, 1925, from Sagami Bay, 
Japan, and that the host of the present material, P?tr?ter?gati.r longima?au.r Sakai, 
1965, was also first described from Sagami Bay. 
Nikione n. gen. 
Diagnosis. - Female. Body strongly asymmetrical. Cephalon broader than long. 
Anterior lamina well-developed. Posterior lamina with two pairs of lateral and 
one pair of median processes. Seven free pereion segments. Five free pleon seg- 
ments. Coxal plates lamellar, present on all pereion and pleon segments, those of 
pleon tuberculate. Five pairs of biramous tuberculate pleopods. Uropods biramous, 
tuberculate. Brood pouch open. Male: Body elongate, cephalon rounded. Seven 
free pereion segments. Five free pleon segments, plus cordiform pleo-telson. Seven 
pairs well-developed pereiopods. Pleopods absent. 
Type species of the genus Nikione natalen.ri.r n. sp. 
Nikione natalensis n. sp. (fig. 3a-j) 
Material. - 1 
.ovigerous female, holotype, S.A.M. A13174, length 4.0 mm, breadth 5.2 mm; 
1 male, allotype, S.A.M. A13174, length 1.1 mm from branchial chamber of processid shrimp 
Nikoides danae Paulson, 1875, from off Natal, 29?10'S, 31?51'E, 43 metres depth. 
Description. - Female. Body broader than long, left side longer than right, 
latter somewhat compressed. Cephalon broader than long, with well-developed 
anterior lamina, produced into broadly rounded lamella at antero-lateral corners. 
Eyes absent. Posterior lamina bearing one pair leaf-like backwardly-directly pro- 
cesses laterally, plus one median pair. First antenna 3-segmented, segments short 
and squat, basal segment very broad. Second antenna 5-segmented, three basal 
segments bearing numerous squamae, two distal segments very short. Maxilliped 
with medio-distal corner bilobed, lobes short and bluntly rounded, bearing a few 
plumed setae. Pereion consisting of seven free segments, each with well-developed 
coxal plate. First four segments medio-dorsally very narrow. First segment with 
strong elongate ovarian boss, second to fifth segments on right side bilobed, 
posterior lobe small, with rounded distal lamella. Second to seventh segments on 
left side bilobed, posterior lobe of each segment decreasing in size posteriorly. 
Ovarian bosses present on first four segments. Brood pouch not closed by oostegites. 
Pleon consisting of five free segments. Coxal plates well-developed, circular- 
oval in outline, margins slightly tuberculate. Five pairs biramous warty pleopods 
present, exopods, especially of last two pairs, fairly elongate, endopods of anterior 
three pairs irregular, of posterior two pairs circular. Uropods biramous, rami 
elongate, warty. 
Male. Body elongate, cephalon anteriorly rounded. Seven free pereion and five 
free pleon segments distinct, pleo-telson cordiform with tiny median anal projec- 
tion. Pleopods and uropods absent. 
265 
Fig. 3. Nikione natalerz.ri.r n. sp. a, male, dorsal view; b, female, dorsal view; c, lst antenna; d, 
lst oostegite; e, female, pleon, ventral view; f, 2nd antenna; g, posterior lamina of cephalon; h, 
maxilliped; i, female, 7th pereiopod; j, male, 7th pereiopod. 
266 
Remarks. - The present material, which is characterised by the possession of a 
well-developed anterior lamina of the cephalon, lamellar coxal plates on all the 
pereion and pleon segments, and biramous pleopods and uropods, is obviously allied 
to the group of genera including Epipenaeon, Orbionzorph,-i,, OrbioneJ Parapenaeon, 
Gigantione, and Apopenaeon. Of these, only the first two possess a 5-segmented 
pleon; the rest all have a sixth pleonal segment visible. Orbiomor pha is immediately 
separated from the present species by the possession of four coxal plates and four 
pairs of pleopods on the pleon. 
Epipenaeoii closely resembles the present material, particularly in the tuber- 
culate biramous pleopods and uropods. The shape of the posterior pleopods and 
the uropods is, however, rather different in the two genera, Epipezzaeon having 
subequal rami of the pleopods. A major difference lies in the nature of the pleon 
of the male. While in Epzpenaeon the five pleon segments are fused to form a 
triangular structure, in the present species they are completely free and separate. 
As the present material cannot be satisfactorily placed in any of the existing genera, 
it is afforded separate generic status. 
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG 
F?nf Isopodenarten der Familie Bopyridae vom s?dlichen Afrika werden beschrieben. Sie wurden 
in den Kiemenkammern von Dekapoden gefunden. Die beschriebene Arten schliessen zwei neue 
Gattungen und drei neue Arten ein. 
REFERENCES 
CHOPRA, B., 1923. Bopyrid isopods parasitic on Indian Decapoda Macrura. Rec. Indian Mus., 25: 
411-550. 
NIERSTRASZ, H. F. & G. A. BRENDER ? BRANDIS, 1931. Papers from Dr. Th. Mortensen's Pacific 
Expedition 1914-16, 57. Epicaridea, 2. Vidensk. Medd. Dansk naturh. Foren., 91: 147-225. 
SHUNO, S. M., 1958. Note on the bopyrid fauna of Japan. Rep. Fac. Fish. prefect. Univ. Mie 3: 
29-73.