Jassa falcata
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| Jassa falcata | ||||||||||||||||
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| Jassa falcata (Montagu, 1808) |
Jassa falcata, commonly known as scud, is a tube-dwelling amphipod.
Scud is one of the thousands of species of amphopod. Like lobsters, crabs and shrimps, amphipods are crustaceans in the class Malacostraca.
Jassa falcata constructs tubes of debris. It is a fouling organism, growing on the bottoms of ships and slowing them down. Jassa falcata forms dense mats or nests. The male and the female live in different tubes. Jassa falcata feeds generally on hydroid growth on the bottom of rafts and ships. It is generally a suspension feeder normally found on sediment areas.
Jassa falcata has two antennae; the first antennae have two-segmented flagella and are shorter and more slender than the second antennae. Males are 7-13 mm and females are 6-12 mm. Colors vary but are usually yellow-gray with brown, red or black patches depending on the color of the habitat.