APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

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Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 1

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 2

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 3

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 4

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 5

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 6

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 7

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 8

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 9

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in container 1

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- habitat / location 1

Four specimens found in the prawn Palaemon serratus in waters surrounding a pontoon at East Pier, Hayle, Cornwall. 07.06.18. Parasite to host ration was about 1:50. The parasite may be found in the branchial cavity of the carapace but also the dorsolateral sulcus to the rear of the host, it is a very obvious parasite. Parasitized victims may at times be seen swimming solo on the surface of the water.

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon elegans host 1

Fecampia erythrocephala was found in a Palaemon elegans host in a pool near the private beach at Watermouth Cove, near Ilfracombe, Devon, 16.06.18.

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in prawn host 1

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in prawn host 2

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 10

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 11

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 12

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- with 0.1mm division rule 1

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- with 0.1mm division rule 2

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- adult flatworm 1

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- adult flatworm 2

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- adult flatworm 3

Host and flatworm found in Newlyn Harbour, Cornwall. 14.04.15.

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 13

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 14

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 15

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 16

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- with 0.1mm division rule 3

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- adult flatworm 4

Above images of flatworm found in Palaemon serratus host, at Newlyn Marina, Newlyn Harbour, Cornwall. 04.11.15.

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in prawn Palaemon elegans 1

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in prawn Palaemon elegans 2

Above images of flatworm in Palaemon elegans host, the latter was found in a small pool under a rock in the SW corner of Penzance Harbour, Penzance, Cornwall. 26.04.16.

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 17

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 18

Parasitic crab flatworm
Fecampia erythrocephala ?
- in Palaemon serratus host 19

Two flatworms were found in a 23mm juvenile Palaemon serratus host, at Newlyn Marina, Newlyn Harbour, Cornwall. 11.08.16.

The parasite here is most likely to be the Parasitic crab flatworm, Fecampia erythrocephala. Prawns however, are not a recorded host of Fecampia erythrocephala, so the specimen is currently undergoing DNA sequencing a the Natural History Museum in London to determine if Fecampia erythrocephala is involved or not.

If it is, the prawns, Palaemon serratus and Palaemon elegans, will have to be included as a host, although it is not yet know how common this host is in the UK, but specimens like this have frequently been seen in France. It is not known if Fecampia erythrocephala is involved in France. It is possible that a new species is involved, but this is probably doubtful, which is why photographs of the specimen have been labeled as Fecampia erythrocephala here.

What is unusual is that the occurrence in this host has to be explained, especially given how obvious the host is within the prawn and this should have been noticed in the past.

The Fecampia specimen found on 04.11.15 exited the prawn whilst being kept in a container in a fridge. The prawn was still alive but not at all happy and lay on its side in the bottom of the container.

Fecampia erythrocephala was also observed inside a Palaemon sp. at the MBA Bioblitz at Lee Bay, North Devon, 23.09.17. This is a good record as it is probably the first record in the UK that isn't from a marina or harbour and suggests it is natural / normal behaviour, and that Palaemon species have to be added to the host list.

The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help

people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.