A team from the National University of Tainan and Japanese researchers have determined that a species of isopod found attached to shrimp near Yilan County is the first of its kind discovered in Taiwan.
The team, led by Department of Biological Sciences and Technology associate professor Huang Ming-chih (黃銘志), was joined by Japanese researchers Nobuhiro Saito and Michitaka Shimomura.
Fishers who first encountered the yellow parasitic isopod, which attaches just behind a sakura shrimp’s head, 10 years ago off the county’s Gueishan Island (龜山島) thought it was an egg sack.
Photo courtesy of Huang Ming-chih
The first recorded discovery of an isopod louse was in 1937 by Japanese marine biologist Sueo Shiino, who found one attached to a red shrimp in Suruga Bay in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture.
The discovery of the isopod in Taiwanese waters is the second recorded discovery of the species worldwide, Huang said, adding that fishers call it a kernel of corn because of its size and color.
The parasite is detrimental to the fishing industry, as it tends to lower the value of shrimp, Huang said, adding that he in May last year began collecting samples for study because little was known about the parasite.
After reaching the initial conclusion that the isopods were Holophryxus fusiformis — the same species Shiino discovered — he took the samples to Japan for further analysis, he said.
The team, working with Saito and Shimomura, confirmed Huang’s findings after a year of testing and analysis.
The findings were published on Saturday last week in the journal Crustacean Research, Huang said.
The discovery means the isopod might have originated in Taiwan’s waters and reached Japan through the Kuroshio current, which moves clockwise in the Pacific Ocean’s northwest, he said.
If the isopods spread in large numbers, they could cause a major decline in the number of sakura shrimp, he said, adding that there was a 1 percent rate of infection among the shrimp in the waters off Yilan last year.
An increase in the parasite population last year might have caused the decrease in sakura shrimp numbers this year in Taiwanese waters and in Suruga Bay, he said, adding that the rate of infection is a world record.
The team’s findings also mark the first recorded discovery of sakura shrimp hosting a parasitic isopod, he said, adding that Taiwan and Japan must cooperate to monitor the situation and research marine life, including parasites.
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS