Cochinilla

Description:

Body oval in outline, readily rolling into a ball. Antenna 1 with 9 to 15 aesthetascs. Maxillipede palp without lobes, but with plumose setae on articles 2 to 4. Five anterior pleon segments all fused; sixth pleon segment fused with the telson as a pleotelson which articulates freely with the pleon. Coxal plates of pereion segments 2 to 7 fused with the segments. Pereiopod 1 ischium with up to about 60 plumose setae in two rows; propodus with a distal row of 15 to 20 setae. Pleotelson with a smooth dorsal surface and not extending beyond uropods. Uropods lateral, with the expod and endopod subequal in length, endopod rounded at the apex. Uropods with 4 to 7 well defined serrations on the outer edge of the exopod. No sexual dimorphism. Sexes separable between 5 and 7 mm body length, females ranging to 10 mm and males to 11.5 mm.

Habitat:

Laguna salada Mar Menor (Murcia).