''Euidotea durvillei'', known commonly as the red seaweed isopod, is a species of marine
isopod
Isopoda is an order of crustaceans that includes woodlice and their relatives. Isopods live in the sea, in fresh water, or on land. All have rigid, segmented exoskeletons, two pairs of antennae, seven pairs of jointed limbs on the thorax, an ...
found in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
.
Description
Adults reach in length. Body is red with a lightly coloured stripe down its back. The leading edge of each segment on the exoskeleton is curved towards its head. The tail section curves outwards.
Habitat
''Euidotea durvillei'' is found on red seaweeds in the low to shallow subtidal regions of the
intertidal zone
The intertidal zone, also known as the foreshore, is the area above water level at low tide and underwater at high tide (in other words, the area within the tidal range). This area can include several types of habitats with various species o ...
of
rocky shore
A rocky shore is an intertidal area of seacoasts where solid rock predominates. Rocky shores are biologically rich environments, and are a useful "natural laboratory" for studying intertidal ecology and other biological processes. Due to their ...
s.
Behaviour & diet
The red seaweed isopod is a nocturnal grazer feeder, feeding on red seaweed.
It camouflages itself against the red seaweed on which it also lives.
Gallery
Euidotea durvillei 176641901.jpg, Close-up of ''Euidotea durvillei''
Euidotea durvillei 176641941.jpg, ''Euidotea durvillei'' on seaweed
References
Valvifera
Marine crustaceans of New Zealand
Endemic fauna of New Zealand
Crustaceans described in 1993
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