Notes on Caprella andreae MAYER, 1890 (Crustacea, Amphipoda) from the Carapace of Loggerhead Sea Turtles in the East China Sea and in Kyushu, Japan

Abstract

Caprella andreae MAYER, 1890, a member of the Caprella acutifrons group, is redescribed on the basis of material from the East China Sea and from Tomioka, Amakusa Island, Kyushu, Japan. In both areas, specimens were collected from the carapace of the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta(L.). Pereopods show a morphological adaptation for clinging to the algal substratum on the turtle carapace. Body robustness as well as other morphological characteristics did not differ between specimens from the two localities. Based on the comparison of morphological characteristics with two other species in the C. acutifrons group, C. andreae may be speciated from the C. acutifrons type origin by adapting to ecologically isolated habitats such as drifting objects.