OCCURRENCE AND INFLUENCE OF ORBIONE HALIPORI NIERSTRASZ AND BRENDER ABRANDIS (ISOPODA, BOPYRIDAE) ON METAPENAEUS-JOYNERI (MIERS) (DECAPODA, PENAEIDAE) FROM THE ZHUJIANG ESTUARY, CHINA

The bopyrid parasite Orbione halipori was recorded for the first time from Metapenaeus joyneri. Morphometric analysis indicated that infeste d male and female shrimp have slightly, but significantly, lower body weight than uninfested shrimp of the same carapace length. While the p arasites sterilize their hosts, the low infestation rate (0.53%) appea rs not to pose a threat to the shrimp fisheries in the Zhujiang estuar y.