Bowhead Whale Lice [Cyamus ceti]
Description
Cyamus ceti, also known as Bowhead Whale Lice, is a species of whale lice that primarily infests Bowhead Whales. They have a distinct, flattened body shape which allows them to withstand the water currents when their host is moving. They feed off the skin and body fluids of their host.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Flatworms
Platyhelminthes
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Cestoda
Cestoda
|
| Order |
Trypanorhyncha
Trypanorhyncha
|
| Family |
Triloculariidae
Triloculariidae
|
| Genus |
Whale Lice
Cyamus
|