General Description

Cephalon and anterior pereon with granules; mandibles symmetrical, with incisors, greater than half length of cephalon; maxillipedal endite broad. Mediofrontal process conical with many notches on lateral margins; paraocular ornamentation not extremely produced; frontal border at most only slightly produced; pereon with anterior constriction on peronite 4. Pleopods subequal. Penes not fused and produced. Up to 3.5 mm long.

Biology

Sea mites lead complicated lives. The juvenile stage, called a praniza, lives attached to the skin of a fish where it feeds on blood and mucus which it obtains with sharp little jaws. The praniza metamorphoses into either a male (recognised by its huge jaws) or a female which broods a clutch of coloured eggs in its thorax. The male maintains a harem of females in a communal burrow in sandy rubble or algae. There are many species of gnathiids in all marine environments in Australia.

Habitat

Sandy sediments, at depths of 11-130 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Microcrustaceans › Isopods

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

3.5 mm

Diet

Organic matter

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Species Code

MoV 1607

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Not listed