Whale Lice

[Fini]

A friend on another board related to cephalopods just posted some pictures of a small sperm whale that was tangled in fishing lines and stranded in New Zealand. That part is enormously sad, but you should see the lice on the whale. They look like a cross between a mantid and acrab. They are huge!

Here is a link to the whole thread: Link

 

[CopperInMyVeins]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyamid

there's some background info, what makes you think they're huge? The only size reference there is the picture of the whole side of the whale, and they don't that big to me.

 

[Scythemantis]

I believe they're one of the largest parasitic/symbiotic invertebrates in the world, but of course that's not much bigger than most insects

 

[kraken]

That is so neat looking!!!

 

[sammyp]

Wow, that certainly is one of the stranger looking beasties I've yet seen. Do they actually feed off the whale? Or scavenge off its kills?

 

[Stylopidae]

Wow, that certainly is one of the stranger looking beasties I've yet seen. Do they actually feed off the whale? Or scavenge off its kills?

Both, depending on the species.

 

[sammyp]

And when they're feeding off the whale... what are they actually eating? Skin cells? Sucking blubber? (god, that sounds awful ) blood, or what?

 

[CustomNature]

I want it. Guess I'll have to start looking into a whale-size aquarium and a whale now. "Dude! That whale is awesome!" "Yeah, okay. Apparently you didn't see the lice colony... Why don't you check out my T collection and then tell me how cool the crickets are? "

 

[bugmankeith]

Is that whale shedding hair in the photo? I know they are mammals so they do have hair.