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 reprod ...

. 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 The haptor is the attachment organ of the monogeneans, a group of parasitic Platyhelminthes. The haptor is sometimes called opisthaptor (from ''opistho-'': behind) to emphasize that it is located in the posterior part of the body, and to differ ...

) is simple. * Polyopisthocotylea. The name means "several posterior suckers" - the attachment organ (the

) 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 ''Diplozoon paradoxum'' is a flatworm (platyhelminth) from the class Monogenea. It is found in freshwater fishes in Asia and Europe and known for its complete monogamy. This parasite is commonly found on the gills of European cyprinid fishes. It ...

'', 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., polyg ...

, 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 ''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. & Maillar ...

'', a parasite of the bigeyed sixgill shark ''

Hexanchus nakamurai The bigeyed sixgill shark (''Hexanchus nakamurai'') is a cow shark of the family Hexanchidae. Its dorsal surface has a brownish-gray color, and is sharply separated from the light coloring of its ventral surface. The eyes are a fluorescent gre ...

'' * '' Chimaericola leptogaster'', a parasite of the gills of the chimaera '' Chimaera monstrosa''.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3377527 Protostome subclasses