THE EPIBIONTS OF BEACH HOPPERS (CRUSTACEA, TALITRIDAE) OF THE NORTH-AMERICAN PACIFIC COAST

The beach hoppers Megalorchestia californiana and M. corniculata (Crus tacea: Talitridae) were studied for the interaction of two of their ep ibionts. Rhabditid nematodes reside under the host's dorsal pereonites where they may be facultative parasites or feed on bacteria and detri tus associated with !he host. The mite Thinoseius brevisternalis (Cana ris, 1962) (Acari: Eviphididae) preys upon the above nematodes. Both n ematodes and mites also use the host as transport between patches of b each wrack. Other epibiotic Acari on talitrids are also reported here.