PORT PHILLIP BAY


Sea Centipede 

Euidotea stricta (Dana, 1853)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Body moderately broad (usually about 6 times as long as wide), smooth, head narrower than pereonite 1, body widest at pereonite 4. Pleon without articulating pleonites, pleonite 1 suture complete dorsally (pleotelsonic formula 1 + 2). Antenna 2 multiarticulate. Mandible, maxillae 1 and 2 typical. Maxillipedal endite with apical setation; palp broad, articles 4 and 5 fused, rarely articles 2 and 3 fused. Coxae 2-7 with non-contiguous non-articulating, dorsal coxal plates more visible posteriorly than anteriorly. Pereopods with transverse clusters of spiniform setae on palm of merus, carpus and propodus, much reduced on more posterior pereopods. Penes fused at base, attached ventrally or near posterior margin of pleonite 1. Oostegites lamellar on pereopods 1-5.

Source: Poore, G.C.B. & Lew Ton, H.M. (1993) Idoteidae of Australia and New Zealand (Crustacea: Isopoda: Valvifera). Invertebrate Taxonomy, 7, 197-278.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Crustacea
Class:
Malacostraca
Subclass:
Eumalacostraca
Superorder:
Peracarida
Order:
Isopoda
Suborder:
Valvifera
Family:
Idoteidae
Genus:
Euidotea
Species:
stricta

General Description

Body about 6 times as long as wide, not especially flattened. Head 1.5 times as wide as long. Pleonite 1 not longer than others, suture lateral only; pleotelsonic formula 0 + 3; pleotelson elongate, 2.5 times as long as wide, widest posteriorly; dorsal coxal plate 7 rounded. Body up to 3.5 cm long.

Biology

Euidotea stricta, known as a sea centipede, is not at all related to terrestrial centipedes which have many more pairs of legs and never enter the sea. This species belongs to one of the few families of herbivorous isopods. They can camouflage themselves according to the colour of the marine algae in which they live.

Habitat

Intertidal to 30 m depth.

Reefs

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Microcrustaceans › Isopods

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

3.5 cm

Diet

Herbivore

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Species Code

MoV 1332

Conservation Status

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

Author

article author Taylor, J.

Dr. Jo Taylor is the Sciences Collections Online Coordinator at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Poore, G.C.B.

Dr. Gary Poore is Principal Curator Emeritus at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Taylor, J. & Poore, G.C.B., 2011, Sea Centipede, Euidotea stricta, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 04 Jan 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/5319

Text: creative commons cc by licence