''Microcotyle archosargi'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of monogenean, parasitic on the gills of a marine

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% of li ...

. It belongs to the family Microcotylidae.MacCallum, G.A. (1913) Further notes on the genus ''Microcotyle''. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere, 35, 389-402
PDF in BHL
It was first described by MacCallum in 1913 based on ten specimens. Hargis (1956) pointed out that the description and figures given by MacCallum were poor in details.

Systematics

In 1971, Unnithan created the combination ''Microcotyle Scintillovulva archosargi'', but Unnithan's assignment of ‘‘(MacCallum, 1913) comb. n.’’ as authorship of ''M. (S.) archosargi'' was considered incorrect according to the

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the ICZN Code, for its publisher, the ...

by Kritsky & Bakenhaster. ''Microcotyle archosargi'' was transferred by Caballero & Bravo-Hollis to the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

''Paramicrocotyle'' as ''Paramicrocotyle archosargi'' n. comb.Caballero y Caballero, E., & Bravo-Hollis, M. (1972). Monogenea (van Beneden, 1858) Carus, 1863 de peces marinos del litoral Mexicano del Golfo de Mexico y del Mar Caribe.V. Revista de Biología Tropical, 20, 151-165
PDF
Mamaev, in his revision of the family Microcotylidae, suppressed this combination, reassigned the species to the genus '' Microcotyle'' and considered ''Paramicrocotyle'' a junior subjective synonym of '' Microcotyle''.

Morphology

''Microcotyle archosargi'' has the general morphology of all species of '' Microcotyle'', with a flat body, comprising an anterior part which contains most organs and a posterior part called the haptor. The haptor is symmetrical and bears a number of

clamps Clamp may refer to: Tools and devices *Brick clamp, an early method of baking bricks *Clamp (tool), a device or tool used to hold objects in a fixed relative position (many types listed) **C-clamp **C-clamp (stagecraft) **Riser clamp, a device u ...

, arranged as two rows, one on each side. The clamps of the haptor attach the animal to the

gill 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. There are also two small buccal suckers at the anterior extremity. The digestive organs include an anterior, terminal mouth, a muscular pharynx, and a posterior intestine with two lateral blind-ending branches. Each adult contains male and female reproductive organs. The reproductive organs include an anterior genital atrium, with spines, a dorsal

vagina In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hymen ...

, a single

ovary The ovary is an organ in the female reproductive system that produces an ovum. When released, this travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it may become fertilized by a sperm. There is an ovary () found on each side of the body. ...

, and a number of

testes A testicle or testis (plural testes) is the male reproductive gland or gonad in all bilaterians, including humans. It is homologous to the female ovary. The functions of the testes are to produce both sperm and androgens, primarily testoster ...

which are posterior to the ovary.Mamaev, Yu.L. (1989) n species composition and morphological features of the ''Microcotyle'' genus (Microcotylidae, Monogenoidea) In: Lebedev, B.I. (Ed.) nvestigation in parasitology, collection of papers Vladivostok: DVNTs SSSR, 167 pp.

n Russian N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...

/ref> In 2011, Kritsky and Bakenhaster provided supplementary observations for ''M. archosargi'' based on examination of museum specimens and other specimens collected on '' Archosargus probatocephalus'' from

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. The species was also redescribed by Mendoza-Franco ''et al''. in 2018, from '' Archosargus rhomboidalis,'' including a drawing of the genital atrium. These authors also provided the first molecular data (

28S ribosomal RNA 28S ribosomal RNA is the structural ribosomal RNA (rRNA) for the large subunit (LSU) of eukaryotic cytoplasmic ribosomes, and thus one of the basic components of all eukaryotic cells. It has a size of 25S in plants and 28S in mammals, hence th ...

) for ''Microcotyle archosargi''.

Etymology

The specific epithet ''Microcotyle archosargi'' is derived from the generic name of the host species '' Archosargus probatocephalus''.

Hosts and localities

The sheepshead '' Archosargus probatocephalus'' (

Sparidae The Sparidae are a family of fish in the order Perciformes, commonly called sea breams and porgies. The sheepshead, scup, and red seabream are species in this family. Most sparids are deep-bodied compressed fish with a small mouth separated by a ...

) is the type-host of ''Microcotyle archosargi''. The species was first described from fish obtained by MacCallum from the

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

fish market, as well as the New York Aquarium and the US Fish Commission at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Despite the indirect source of the specimens, his host record is probably correct. ''M. archosargi'' has also been recorded in the type-host from

and

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

,Iruegas-Buentello, F. J. (1999). Helmintos parasitos de peces comerciales de la Laguna Madre, San Fernando, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Thesis, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, 217 pp and in another sparid host, the western Atlantic seabream '' Archosargus rhomboidalis.''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2744683 Microcotylidae Animals described in 1913 Parasites of fish Fauna of the United States Fauna of Mexico Fauna without expected TNC conservation status