''Terranova'' is a genus of

parasitic nematodes The nematodes ( or grc-gre, Νηματώδη; la, Nematoda) or roundworms constitute the phylum Nematoda (also called Nemathelminthes), with plant-parasitic nematodes also known as eelworms. They are a diverse animal phylum inhabiting a broa ...

. Species from this genus are known to parasitise sharks, rays,

sawfishes Sawfish, also known as carpenter sharks, are a family of rays characterized by a long, narrow, flattened rostrum, or nose extension, lined with sharp transverse teeth, arranged in a way that resembles a saw. They are among the largest fish wit ...

, teleosts and crocodilians.Sprent, J.F.A. (1992
"Parasites lost?"
'' International Journal for Parasitology'' 22(2): 139-151. doi: 10.1016/0020-7519(92)90095-3 However, in 2020,

František Moravec František Moravec CBE (23 July 1895 – 26 July 1966) was the chief Czechoslovak military intelligence officer before and during World War II. He moved to the United States after the war. Biography In 1915, Moravec was drafted into Austro-Hun ...

and

Jean-Lou Justine Jean-Lou Justine (born 1955), French parasitologist and zoologist, is a professor at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France, and a specialist of fish parasites and invasive land planarians. Higher education and career Justine w ...

considered this taxon to be invalid on the ground that "its type species . e., ''T. antarctica''has been designated a ''

species inquirenda In biological classification, a ''species inquirenda'' is a species of doubtful identity requiring further investigation. The use of the term in English-language biological literature dates back to at least the early nineteenth century. The term t ...

''", and split many of its species into two new-described genera, '' Euterranova'' and '' Neoterranova''. The type specimen and so far only found adult individual available for feature classification of ''T. antarctica'' is a female, and many features for such parasites are better discernible among males. Thus, in an article from 1990, the place of ''T. antarctica'' was considered as doubtful. Moravec and Justine argued that if the type species is doubtful, then by definition so is the entire genus, in this case, the genus ''Terranova''. However, their reclassification was based entirely on analysis of morphological features, and they recognised that molecular analysis again may lead to a changed taxonomy.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5270626 Parasitic nematodes of fish Ascaridida Secernentea genera