Invertebrates associated with the marine wood boring isopod, Limnoria tripunctata.

Untreated wood submerged for 4-6 months and infested with the marine wood boring isopod, Limnoria tripunctata Menzies, was analyzed for the associated invertebrate community. Associated with Limnoria were acoelous turbellarians, nematodes, the archiannelid Dinophilus sp., the tubicolous polychaete, Polydora sp., 4 harpacticoid copepods, 2 amphipods and the tanaid, Leptochelia savignyi. Limnoria ecto-commensals included ciliated and diatoms.Prior to dying Limnoria dug "tomb-like" side tunnels and then crawled inside to expire. All previous reports suggest that Limnoria leaves the wood to die.