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 15 mm long.

Biology

Neastacilla kanowna although first collected from Victorian waters in the 1980's, was not formally described until 2003. The species name, "kanowna" is an Australian Aboriginal name for the sea. This species of skeleton louse is one of the largest at around 15 mm in length.

Distribution

Southern temperate oceans, including south-eastern Australia.

Habitat

Subtidal attached to algae or bryozoans to depths of 29 m.

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