Cyamus boopis

Cyamus boopis is a species of whale louse in the family Cyamidae. It occurs in the Atlantic and Southern Oceans, possibly wider.^[1]

Cyamus boopis
Dorsal view
Ventral view
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Malacostraca
Order:	Amphipoda
Family:	Cyamidae
Genus:	Cyamus
Species:	C. boopis
Binomial name
Cyamus boopis Lütken, 1870[1]
Synonyms[1]
Cyamus ceti (Linnaeus, 1758) sensu Chilton, 1884 Cyamus elongatus Hiro, 1938 Cyamus pacificus Lütken, 1873 Cyamus suffuses Dall, 1872 Paracyamus boopis

This is an ectoparasite that lives exclusively on humpback whales. The infestation is most concentrated around the genital apertures, but occurs on all parts of the body, most commonly where there is an infestation of the barnacle species Coronula diadema.^[2]

Whale lice will promptly try to attach themselves to people when handling whales during processing.^[2]

Description

Males of the species grow to about 11.5 mm long and 4 mm wide, with the first antenna being about 5.25 mm long.^[2] Females grow to 9.5 mm long and 4 mm wide with the first antenna 3.5 mm.^[2]

Both sexes have four-segmented antennae, the endmost containing strong bristles. The body comprises multiple segments, each containing hooks used to attach itself to the whale.^[2]