''Philometra'' 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 ...

of nematodes, which are

parasite Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted structurally to this way of lif ...

s of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by

Oronzio Gabriele Costa Oronzo Gabriele Costa (26 August 1787, Alessano – 7 November 1867 Naples) was an Italian zoologist. At first a physician, he taught zoology at the University of Naples. He wrote 126 papers on various subjects, principally entomology, and in 18 ...

in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of both marine and freshwater fishes. When still in the larval stages, these worms move to the body cavities or subcutaneous tissues in the host. This migration can cause damage to skeletal joints, result in internal bleeding, and inflame visceral organs. Emaciation and lowered growth rates may result from this. Infestation produces nodules under the skin. When the worms are in the adult or juvenile stage, these nodules may be visible between the rays of the fins or may cause the scales to raise up. Larger nodules may be the result of gravid females which may rupture the skin surface. Once ruptured, the female disintegrates. This allows the release of the live larvae into the water. This wound on the fish then heals, leaving almost no scarring. Species of ''Philometra'' require two hosts to complete their life cycle. After the larval worms are released from the host fish, they are ingested by

copepods Copepods (; meaning "oar-feet") are a group of small crustaceans found in nearly every freshwater and saltwater habitat. Some species are planktonic (inhabiting sea waters), some are benthic (living on the ocean floor), a number of species have p ...

which act as an intermediate host. Once inside the copepod, the larvae

molt In biology, moulting (British English), or molting (American English), also known as sloughing, shedding, or in many invertebrates, ecdysis, is the manner in which an animal routinely casts off a part of its body (often, but not always, an outer ...

several times. Fish may then eat the infested copepod.

Known hosts

Species of this genus are known to parasitize numerous species of fish, including: *

Blacktip grouper The blacktip grouper (''Epinephelus fasciatus''), also known as the redbanded grouper, blacktipped cod, black-tipped rockcod, footballer cod, red-barred cod, red-barred rockcod, scarlet rock-cod or weathered rock-cod, is a species of marine ray-fi ...

Herring scad The herring scad (''Alepes vari'') (also known as the duskyfin crevalle and trevally scad), is a common species of tropical marine fish in the jack family Carangidae. The species inhabits the surface waters of coastal regions throughout the Indo- ...

Bigeye scad The bigeye scad (''Selar crumenophthalmus'') is an oceanic fish found in tropical regions around the globe. Other common names include purse-eyed scad, goggle-eyed scad, akule, chicharro, charrito ojón, jacks, matang baka, mushimas and coulirou ...

Bluefish The bluefish (''Pomatomus saltatrix'') is the only extant species of the family Pomatomidae. It is a marine pelagic fish found around the world in temperate and subtropical waters, except for the northern Pacific Ocean. Bluefish are known as t ...

Gallery

File:Parasite170008-fig1 - Ovary of fish with visible Philometra females.png, Ovary of fish with visible ''Philometra females'' File:Parasite140007-fig6 Philometra fasciati Moravec & Justine, 2008 (Nematoda, Philometridae).tif, ''

Philometra fasciati ''Philometra fasciati'' is a species of parasitic nematode of fishes, first found off New Caledonia in the South Pacific, in the gonads ''Epinephelus fasciatus The blacktip grouper (''Epinephelus fasciatus''), also known as the redbanded gro ...

'' File:Parasite140007-fig1 Philometra austropacifica Moravec & Justine, 2014 (Nematoda, Philometridae).tif, '' Philometra austropacifica'' File:Parasite140007-fig9 Philometra selaris Moravec & Justine, 2014 (Nematoda, Philometridae).tif, ''

Philometra selaris ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Parasite140132-fig1 Philometra protonibeae (Nematoda, Philometridae).png, ''

Philometra protonibeae ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries o ...

'' Parasite140132-fig2 Philometra protonibeae (Nematoda, Philometridae).png, ''

'' Parasite140132-fig3 Philometra protonibeae (Nematoda, Philometridae).png, ''

'' Parasite140132-fig4 Philometra sp. (Nematoda, Philometridae) from Lutjanus johnii.png, ''Philometra'' sp.

Taxonomy

The following species are recognized by the

World Register of Marine Species The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms. Content The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scientific speciali ...

: * ''

Philometra gerrei ''Philometra gerrei'' is a species of parasitic nematode of fishes, infecting the gonads of marine perciform fishes off the eastern Indian coast. It was first found in the whipfin silver-biddy, '' Gerres filamentosus''. It is distinguished fr ...

'' Moravec & Manoharan, 2013 * ''

Philometra globiceps ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries o ...

'' (Rudolphi, 1819) * ''

Philometra lagocephali ''Philometra lagocephali'' is a species of parasitic nematode of fishes, first found off New Caledonia in the South Pacific Ocean in the abdominal cavity The abdominal cavity is a large body cavity in humans and many other animals that cont ...

'' Moravec & Justine, 2008 * ''

Philometra onchorhynchi ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries o ...

'' Kuitinen-Ekbaum, 1933 * ''

Philometra otolithi ''Philometra otolithi'' is a species of parasitic nematode of fishes, infecting the gonads of marine perciform fishes off the eastern Indian coast. It was first found in the tigertooth croaker, '' Otolithes ruber''. It is distinguished from it ...

'' Moravec & Manoharan, 2013 * ''

Philometra ovata ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries o ...

'' (Zeder, 1803) * ''

Philometra priacanthi ''Philometra priacanthi'' is a species of parasitic nematode of fishes. Its name is derived from its host species, '' Priacanthus hamrur''. It possesses dorsal lamella-like structures on the distal part of its gubernaculum, which can also be ...

'' Moravec & Justine, 2009 * ''

Philometra rischta ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries o ...

'' Skrjabin, 1917 * ''

Philometra rubra ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries o ...

'' ( Leidy, 1856) * '' Philometra saltatrix'' Ramachandran, 1973 * ''

Philometra sanguinea ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' (

Rudolphi Karl Asmund Rudolphi (14 July 1771 – 29 November 1832) was a Swedish-born German naturalist, who is credited with being the "father of helminthology". Life Rudolphi was born in Stockholm to German parents. He was awarded his PhD in 1793 a ...

, 1819) * ''

Philometra scombresoxis ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Nikolaeva & Naidenova, 1964 * ''

Philometra sphyraenae ''Philometra sphyraenae'' is a species of parasitic nematode of fishes, infecting the gonads of marine perciform fishes off the eastern Indian coast. It was first found in the pickhandle barracuda, ''Sphyraena jello''. It is distinguished from ...

'' Moravec & Manoharan, 2013 * ''

Philometra tauridica ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Ivashkin, Naidenova, Kovaleva & Khromova, 1971 * ''

Philometra translucida ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Walton, 1927

''Nomina dubia''

* ''

Philometra brevicollis ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Moravec & Justine, 2011 * ''

Philometra carolinensis ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' Moravec , de Buron & Roumillat, 2006 * ''

Philometra cephalus ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' Ramachandran, 1975 * '' Philometra charlestonensis'' Moravec , de Buron, Baker & González-Solís, 2008 * ''

Philometra cyanopodi ''Philometra cyanopodi'' is a species of parasitic nematode of fishes, first found off New Caledonia in the South Pacific, in the gonads of '' Epinephelus cyanopodus''. This species is characterized mainly by: length of spicules and length and ...

'' Moravec & Justine, 2008 * ''

Philometra cynoscionis ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Moravec , de Buron & Roumillat, 2006 * ''

'' Moravec & Justine, 2008 * ''

Philometra filiformis ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' ( Stossich, 1896) * ''

Philometra floridensis ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' Moravec , Fajer-Avila & Bakenhaster, 2010 * ''

Philometra genypteri ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' Moravec , Chávez & Olivia, 2011 * ''

Philometra gymnothoracis ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Moravec & Buron, 2009 * ''

Philometra inimici ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Yamaguti, 1941 * ''

Philometra isaki ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Quiazon, Yoshinaga & Ogawa, 2008 * ''

Philometra jordanoi ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' (López-Neyra, 1951) * ''

Philometra justinei ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' Moravec , Ternengo & Levron, 2006 * ''

Philometra katsuwoni ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Petter & Baudin-Laurencin, 1986 * ''

Philometra lateolabracis ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' ( Yamaguti, 1935) * ''

Philometra lethrini ''Philometra lethrini'' is a species of parasitic nematode of fishes, first found off New Caledonia in the South Pacific, in the gonads of ''Lethrinus genivittatus''. This species is characterized mainly by: length of spicules and length and str ...

'' Moravec & Justine, 2008 * ''

Philometra macroandri ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' (Shchepkina, 1978) * ''

Philometra madai ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Quiazon, Yoshinaga & Ogawa, 2008 * ''

Philometra managatuwo ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Yamaguti, 1941 * ''

Philometra margolisi ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Moravec , et al., 1995 * ''

Philometra mexicana ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Moravec & Salgado-Maldonado, 2007 * ''

Philometra mira ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' Moravec & Justine, 2011 * ''

Philometra nemipteri ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Luo, 2001 * ''

Philometra neolateolabracis ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Rajyalakshmi, Hanumantha Rao & Shyamasundari, 1985 * ''

Philometra neptomeni ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' Mateo, 1972 * ''

Philometra obladae ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' Moravec , Gaglio, Panebianco & Giannetto, 2008 * ''

Philometra obturans ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' (Prennant, 1886) * ''

Philometra ocularis ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Moravec , Ogawa, Suzuki, Miyazaki & Donai, 2002 * ''

Philometra overstreeti ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' Moravec & de Buron, 2006 * ''

Philometra pellucida ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' (Jägerskiöld, 1893) * ''

Philometra rajani ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Mukherjee, 1963 * ''

Philometra sciaenae ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Yamaguti, 1941 * ''

Philometra scomberomori ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries ...

'' ( Yamaguti, 1935) * ''

Philometra sebastisci ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Yamaguti, 1941 * '' Philometra serranellicabrillae'' Janiszewska, 1949 * '' Philometra strongylurae'' Moravec & Ali, 2005 * ''

Philometra tenuicauda ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Moravec & Justine, 2009 * ''

Philometra terapontis ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Moravec , Gopalakrishnan, Rajkumar, Saravanakumar & Kaliyamoorthy, 2011 * ''

Philometra tylosuri ''Philometra'' is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes. The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845. Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of ...

'' Moravec & Ali, 2005

Known hosts

Gallery

Taxonomy

''Nomina dubia''

References

Further reading