Polyopisthocotylea is a subclass of parasitic flatworms in the class

Monogenea Monogeneans are a group of ectoparasitic flatworms commonly found on the skin, gills, or fins of fish. They have a direct lifecycle and do not require an intermediate host. Adults are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female repr ...

. WoRMS (2019). Polyopisthocotylea. Accessed at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=119220 on 2019-02-08Yamaguti, 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

: * Monopisthocotylea. 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 or suckers. The subclass Polyopisthocotylea contains the four following orders: * Order Chimaericolidea * Order Diclybothriidea * Order Mazocraeidea * Order Polystomatidea

Examples of species

* '' Microcotyle visa'', one of the numerous species which are parasitic on

gills A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...

of marine fish. *'' Diplozoon paradoxum'', famous for its perfect

monogamy Monogamy ( ) is a form of dyadic relationship in which an individual has only one partner during their lifetime. Alternately, only one partner at any one time ( serial monogamy) — as compared to the various forms of non-monogamy (e.g., pol ...

, 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 ''Polystoma integerrimum'' is a flatworm (platyhelminth) from the class Monogenea found in amphibians in Asia and Europe. It is an endoparasite of frogs and toads and has an unusual life cycle which synchronises with that of its host. Descrip ...

'', a parasite of frogs which synchronises its breeding with that of its host *''

Protocotyle euzetmaillardi ''Protocotyle euzetmaillardi'' is a species of monogenean of the family Hexabothriidae. It is the third described species of the genus '' Protocotyle'', after '' Protocotyle grisea'' (Cerfontaine, 1899) Euzet & Maillard, 1974Euzet, L. & Maill ...

'', a parasite of the bigeyed sixgill shark '' Hexanchus nakamurai'' * ''

Chimaericola leptogaster ''Chimaericola leptogaster'' is a species of polyopisthocotylean monogenean in the family Chimaericolidae. It is ectoparasitic on the gills of the chimaera ''Chimaera monstrosa''. History According to Brinkmann,Brinkmann Jr, A. (1942). On ' ...

'', a parasite of the gills of the chimaera ''

Chimaera monstrosa ''Chimaera monstrosa'', also known as the rabbit fish or rat fish, is a northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean species of cartilaginous fish in the family Chimaeridae. The rabbit fish is known for its characteristically large head and small, tap ...

''.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3377527 Protostome subclasses