General Description
Body cylindrical, with prominent antennae. The first four pairs of legs are thin and with rows of hairs; the last three pairs are more stubby and attach the animal. The body bends between the elongate fourth body segment and the fifth, up to 10 mm long.
Biology
Neastacilla species are the masters of disguise as both the colour and slender body of these isopods would fool even the hungriest of predators into looking elsewhere for its meal.
Distribution
Southern temperate oceans, including south-eastern Australia.
Habitat
Subtidal in algae to depths of 21 m.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Body cylindrical, antennae prominent, with thin filtering legs in the front and short legs at the back. Fourth body segment extraordinarily long with body bent at a right angle to hold feeding legs up.
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Maximum Size
10 mm
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Habitats
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Diet
Plankton or Particles
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Diet Categories
Organic matter
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Endemicity
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Commercial
No
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Conservation Statuses
DSE Advisory List: Not listed, EPBC Act 1999: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Not listed
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Depths
Shore (0-1 m), Shallow (1-30 m), Deep ( > 30 m)
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Water Column Locations
On or near seafloor
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Taxon Name
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Scientific Author
Hale, 1925
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Common Name
Skeleton Louse
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Superclass
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Class
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Subclass
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Superorder
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Order
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Suborder
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
deducta
