Systematics and morphology

''Cynoscionicola'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

which belongs to the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

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 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 differently ...

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 ...

.Price, E. W. (1962). North American monogenetic trematodes. XI. The family Heteraxinidae. Journal of Parasitology, Vol. 48, 402-418. Species of ''Cynoscionicola'' are

ectoparasite Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson ha ...

s that affect their host by attaching themselves as

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...

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 Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% ...

and grow into adult stage. This larval stage is called

oncomiracidium An oncomiracidium is the ciliated and free-living larva of a monogenean, a type of parasitic flatworm commonly found on fish. It is similar to the miracidium of Trematoda, but has sclerotised Sclerotin is a component of the cuticle of various A ...

, and is characterized as free swimming and

ciliated The cilium, plural cilia (), is a membrane-bound organelle found on most types of eukaryotic cell, and certain microorganisms known as ciliates. Cilia are absent in bacteria and archaea. The cilium has the shape of a slender threadlike projec ...

. This genus was proposed by Price in 1962, to accommodate ''Cynoscionicola heteracantha'' and ''Cynoscionicola pseudoheteracantha'' (previously included in the genus '' Microcotyle''). Members of ''Cynoscionicola '' are characterised by a genital atrium with two anterior muscular pockets armed with single row of hooked spines, and two posterior lateral muscular pouches armed with spines.

Species

According to the World Register of Marine Species,WoRMS (2019). ''Cynoscionicola'' Price, 1962. Accessed at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=518921 on 2019-11-24 this genus includes 14 species:

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5022483 Microcotylidae Monogenea genera