PARASITISM OF THE GOLDEN KING CRAB, LITHODES-AEQUISPINUS BENEDICT, 1895 (DECAPODA, ANOMURA, LITHODIDAE) BY A LIPARID FISH

Fish eggs and larvae of the genus Careproctus were found in the gill c hamber of ovigerous golden king crabs Lithodes aequispinus. The host c rab died subsequent to hatching of the fish eggs in one incident, but not in another. Because of gill damage caused by the egg mass, the fis h-crab relationship is properly termed parasitism rather than commensa lism. Two of 14 ovigerous females were parasitized, while no infected males were found in 824 examined, although evidence of parasitism of m ale crabs was found.