Ceratoserolis

{{Short description|Genus of crustaceans}} {{Automatic taxobox | taxon = Ceratoserolis | image = USNM 1126718 (Ceratoserolis trilobitoides).jpg | image_caption = ''Ceratoserolis trilobitoides'' | authority = Cals, 1977<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |id=542064 |taxon=''Ceratoserolis'' Cals, 1977 |accessdate=February 21, 2011}}</ref> }}

'''''Ceratoserolis''''' is a genus of isopods in the family Serolidae from the Southern Ocean around Antarctica and some Sub-Antarctic Islands. They prefer to live on soft bottoms and range of least between {{cvt|24|and(-)|950|m|ft|-1}} in depth. They are superficially similar to the unrelated, extinct trilobites (hence the specific name ''trilobitoides'' for the first described species) and reach up to about {{cvt|8|cm}} in length.<ref name=Wagele1986>{{cite journal | author=Wägele, J.-W. | year=1986 | title=Polymorphism and distribution of Ceratoserolis trilobitoides (Eights, 1833) (Crustacea, Isopoda) in the Weddell Sea and synonymy with C. cornuta (Studer, 1879) | journal=Polar Biol. | volume=6 | issue=3 | pages=127–137 | doi=10.1007/BF00274875 | s2cid=36870848 }}</ref><ref name=Held2003>{{cite journal | author=Held, C. | year=2003 | title=Molecular evidence for cryptic speciation within the widespread Antarctic crustacean Ceratoserolis trilobitoides (Crustacea, Isopoda) | journal=Antarctic Biology in a Global Context | isbn=90-5782-079-X }}</ref> They were once considered to be part of the genus ''Serolis'' and for a long time only ''Ceratoserolis trilobitoides'' was recognized. The validity of the other species has been disputed, but there are some morphological and genetic differences between them and ''C. trilobitoides'', and there are indications that additional, currently unrecognized species of ''Ceratoserolis'' exist.<ref name=Wagele1986/><ref name=Held2003/><ref>{{cite book |editor=Alasdair McIntyre |year=2010 |title=Life in the World's Oceans: Diversity, Distribution, and Abundance |publisher=John Wiley and Sons |isbn=978-1-4051-9297-2 |author1=Julian Gutt |author2=Graham Hosie |author3=Michael Stoddart |name-list-style=amp |chapter=Marine Life in the Antarctic |pages=203–220 |doi=10.1002/9781444325508.ch11 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vlj1gfR7yzQC&pg=PA208}}</ref>

Because ''Ceratoserolis'' are widespread, locally abundant and relatively large for isopods, they have often been studied and used as model organism for the Antarctic region.<ref name=Held2003/> They are slow-maturing, only breed once in their life, and the eggs and young are brooded for an extended period—almost two years—in the female's marsupium. As is typical of Antarctic isopods, there is no pelagic larval stage.<ref name=Wagele1987>{{cite journal | author=Wägele, J.-W. | year=1987 | title=On the reproductive biology of Ceratoserolis trilobitoides (crustacea: isopoda): Latitudinal variation of fecundity and embryonic development | journal=Polar Biol. | volume=7 | pages=11–24 | doi=10.1007/BF00286819 | s2cid=23794037 }}</ref><ref name=Heilmayer2008>{{cite journal | author=Heilmayer, O. | author2=S. Thatje | author3=C. McClelland | author4=K. Conlna | author5=T. Brey | year=2008 | title=Changes in biomass and elemental composition during early ontogeny of the Antarctic isopod crustacean Ceratoserolis trilobitoides | journal=Polar Biol. | volume=31 | issue=11 | pages=1325–1331 | doi=10.1007/s00300-008-0470-8 | s2cid=6289689 | url=https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/51151/1/Heilmayer_PolarBiol_08.pdf }}</ref>

==Species== There are four currently recognized species:<ref>{{cite web |author=Marilyn Schotte |year=2010 |title=''Ceratoserolis'' Cals, 1977 |editor1=M. Schotte |editor2=C. B. Boyko |editor3=N. L. Bruce |editor4=G. C. B. Poore |editor5=S. Taiti |editor6=G. D. F. Wilson |work=World Marine, Freshwater and Terrestrial Isopod Crustaceans database |publisher=World Register of Marine Species |url=http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=175145 |accessdate=February 21, 2011}}</ref>

*''Ceratoserolis meridionalis'' (Vanhöffen, 1914) *''Ceratoserolis pasternaki'' (Kussakin, 1967) *''Ceratoserolis serratus'' (Brandt, 1988) *''Ceratoserolis trilobitoides'' (Eights, 1833)

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

Category:Serolidae Category:Isopod genera