''Anchoromicrocotyle'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

which belongs to the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Microcotylidae Microcotylidae is a family of polyopisthocotylean monogeneans.WoRMS (2018). Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879. Accessed at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=119247 on 2018-12-03 All the species in this family are parasitic on ...

and

class Class, Classes, or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used d ...

Monogenea Monogeneans, members of the class Monogenea, 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 ...

. Species of ''Anchoromicrocotyle'' are

ectoparasite Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...

s that affect their host by attaching themselves as

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e on the

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 the

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

and grow into adult stage. This larval stage is called oncomiracidium, and is characterized as free swimming and

ciliated The cilium (: cilia; ; in Medieval Latin and in anatomy, ''cilium'') is a short hair-like membrane protrusion from many types of eukaryotic cell. (Cilia are absent in bacteria and archaea.) The cilium has the shape of a slender threadlike pr ...

. As all Anchoromicrocotylinae, members of ''Anchoromicrocotyle'' are characterized by a larval organ and larval hooks and the structure of their genital complex.Bravo-Hollis, M. (1981). Helmintos de peces del Pacífico mexicano XXXVI. Sobre un género y subfamilia nuevos de la familia Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879. Emend. Anales del Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Vol. 8, pp. 305-314). This genus was created by Bravo-Hollis in 1981, to accommodate

ns recovered from the gills of ''Atractoscion nobilis'' (Sciaenidae) (synonym of ''Cynoscion nobilis '') caught off

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. In the same work, Bravo-Hollis in 1981 created a new subfamily Anchoromicrocotylinae and emended the diagnosis of the family

Morphology and hosts

Members of ''Anchoromicrocotyle'' have an elongated body with the a symmetrical haptor armed with three pairs of larval hooks. The digestif system includes two oral suckers with papillary edges, a pharynx and an esophagus present. The male genital system includes numerous postovarian testicles, a vas deferens and a complex copulatory organ composed of: a penis-like copulatory organ, a male atrium and two prostate bags. The female genital system comprises a complex ovary, a genito-intestinal canal, an ootype, a uterus and a medio-dorsal unarmed vagina. Species of ''Anchoromicrocotyle'' are parasites of marine fish of the family

Sciaenidae Sciaenidae is a family (biology), family of ray-finned fishes belonging to the Order (biology), order Acanthuriformes. They are commonly called drums or croakers in reference to the repetitive throbbing or drumming sounds they make. The family co ...

Species

According to the World Register of Marine Species,WoRMS (2019). ''Anchoromicrocotyle'' Bravo-Hollis, 1981. Accessed at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=717521 on 2019-11-24 this genus includes one species:

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q61486321 Microcotylidae Monogenea genera