''Pseudorhabdosynochus maternus'' is a diplectanid monogenean parasitic on 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 ...

s of the Malabar grouper, '' Epinephelus malabaricus''. It has been described in 2007. PDF of Abstract
/ref>

Description

''Pseudorhabdosynochus maternus'' is a small monogenean, 0.6 mm in length. The species has the general characteristics of other species of '' Pseudorhabdosynochus'', with a flat body and a posterior

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 differe ...

, which is the organ by which the monogenean attaches itself to the gill of is host. The haptor bears two

squamodisc Squamodiscs are epidermal structures, which are typical of and found only in certain monogeneans of the family Diplectanidae. There are, typically, two squamodiscs, one ventral and one dorsal, located on the haptor of the monogenean. Squamodisc ...

s, one ventral and one dorsal. The sclerotized male copulatory organ, or "quadriloculate organ", has the shape of a bean with four internal chambers, as in other species of '' Pseudorhabdosynochus''.Kritsky, D. C. & Beverley-Burton, M. 1986: The status of ''Pseudorhabdosynochus'' Yamaguti, 1958, and ''Cycloplectanum'' Oliver, 1968 (Monogenea: Diplectanidae). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 99, 17-20
PDF
The

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 ...

includes a sclerotized part, which is a complex structure. In this species, the sclerotised vagina has a big spherical primary chamber and a small spherical secondary chamber.

Etymology

''Pseudorhabdosynochus maternus'' is part of a series of six species of '' Pseudorhabdosynochus'', all described from the Malabar grouper, '' Epinephelus malabaricus''. The authors indicated that "names of all new species described begin all by ''‘ma-’'' to provide an easy way to identify these species from ''E. malabaricus'' among the numerous species of ''Pseudorhabdosynochus'' already described or to be described". The species are '' P. maaensis'', '' P. malabaricus'', '' P. manifestus'', '' P. manipulus'', '' P. marcellus'', and ''P. maternus''. More precisely, for this species, the name ''maternus'' is derived from the local French name of the host, ‘mère loche’ Laboute, P. & Grandperrin, R. (2000). Poissons de Nouvelle-Calédonie. Nouméa, New Caledonia: Éditions Catherine Ledru. which translates as ‘mother grouper’.

Hosts and localities

The type-host and only recorded host of ''P. maternus'' is the Malabar grouper, '' Epinephelus malabaricus'' (

Serranidae The Serranidae are a large family of fishes belonging to the order Perciformes. The family contains about 450 species in 65 genera, including the sea basses and the groupers (subfamily Epinephelinae). Although many species are small, in some ca ...

: Epinephelinae). The type-locality and only recorded locality is the Barrier Reef off

Nouméa Nouméa () is the capital and largest city of the French special collectivity of New Caledonia and is also the largest francophone city in Oceania. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and ...

, New Caledonia where it was considered a rare species.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5472155 Diplectanidae Animals described in 2007 Platyhelminthes of New Caledonia