Polyopisthocotylea is a subclass of parasitic flatworms in the class
Monogenea.
[WoRMS (2023). Polyopisthocotylea. Accessed at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=119220 on 2023-12-21][Yamaguti, S. (1963). Systema Helminthum Volume IV Monogenea and Aspidocotylea: John Wiley & Sons.][Hayward, C. (2005). Monogenea Polyopisthocotylea (ectoparasitic flukes). In K. Rohde (Ed.), Marine Parasitology (pp. 55-63): CSIRO, Collingwood, Australia & CABI, Oxon, UK.]
Classification
There are only two subclasses in the class
Monogenea:
*
Monopisthocotylea
The Monopisthocotylea are an inferior class of parasitic flatworms in the class Monogenea.WoRMS (2019). Monopisthocotylea. Accessed at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=119219 on 2019-02-08
Yamaguti, S. (1963). Systema Helmi ...
. The name means "a single posterior sucker" - the attachment organ (the
haptor) is simple.
* Polyopisthocotylea. The name means "several posterior suckers" - the attachment organ (the
haptor) is complex, with several
clamps
Clamp may refer to:
Tools and devices
*Brick clamp, an early method of baking bricks
*Clamp (tool), a device or tool used to hold objects in a fixed relative position (many types listed)
**C-clamp
**C-clamp (stagecraft)
**Riser clamp, a device u ...
or
suckers.
The subclass Polyopisthocotylea contains the four following orders:
* Order
Chimaericolidea
* Order
Diclybothriidea
* Order
Lagarocotylidea
* Order
Mazocraeidea
* Order
Polystomatidea
Examples of species
* ''
Microcotyle visa'', one of the numerous species which are parasitic on
gills of marine fish.
*''
Diplozoon paradoxum'', famous for its perfect
monogamy
Monogamy ( ) is a social relation, relationship of Dyad (sociology), two individuals in which they form a mutual and exclusive intimate Significant other, partnership. Having only one partner at any one time, whether for life or #Serial monogamy ...
, with the two individuals of the pair fused together
*''
Lethacotyle vera'', a parasite of the
brassy trevally (''Caranx papuensis''), "the monogenean which lost its clamps"
*''
Polystoma integerrimum'', a parasite of frogs which synchronises its breeding with that of its host
*''
Protocotyle euzetmaillardi'', a parasite of the bigeyed sixgill shark ''
Hexanchus nakamurai''
* ''
Chimaericola leptogaster'', a parasite of the gills of the chimaera ''
Chimaera monstrosa''.
References
{{Authority control
Protostome subclasses