''Microcotyle algeriensis'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), 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 ...

monogenean 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 ...

parasitic 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 ...

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 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% ...

. It belongs to the family

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 ...

Systematics

''Microcotyle algeriensis'' was described Ayadi ''et al''., in 2017, from the gills of the small red scorpionfish '' Scorpaena notata'' (

Scorpaenidae The Scorpaenidae (also known as scorpionfish) are a family of mostly marine fish that includes many of the world's most venomous species. As their name suggests, scorpionfish have a type of "sting" in the form of sharp spines coated with venom ...

) collected at Bouharoune off the Algerian coast. In the same paper, Ayadi ''et al''., (2017) collected another species of ''Microcotyle'' from the gills of ''Helicolenus dactylopterus'', that differs from ''M. algeriensis'' by morphology and COI sequence; and from ''M. sebastis'' by COI sequence. However, the authors refrained from describing ''Microcotyle'' sp. from ''Helicolenus dactylopterus'' as new because ''M. sebastis'' (originally described from scorpaeniform fishes off Japan) has been recorded in various hosts in the North and South Pacific, Atlantic and Mediterranean (for the latter, in the same host, ''H. dactylopterus''). Thus, Ayadi ''et al''., (2017) suggested that a correct specific identification of ''Microcotyle'' spp from scorpaeniform fishes must relay on a detailed morphological and molecular study of specimens from different locations and hosts.

Description

''Microcotyle algeriensis'' has the general morphology of all species of ''

Microcotyle ''Microcotyle'' is a genus which belongs to the phylum Platyhelminthes and class Monogenea. Species of ''Microcotyle'' are ectoparasites that affect their host by attaching themselves as larvae on the gills of the fish and grow into adult stage ...

'', with a symmetrical elongate body, comprising an anterior part which contains most organs and a posterior part called the

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 differ ...

. The haptor is subsymmetrical and continuous with body, and bears 20–39

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 ...

, arranged as two subequal lateral 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 ar ...

of the fish. There are also two septate oval buccal suckers at the anterior extremity. The digestive organs include an anterior, terminal mouth, a globular pharynx, a long thin

oesophagus The esophagus (American English) or oesophagus (British English; both ), non-technically known also as the food pipe or gullet, is an Organ (anatomy), organ in vertebrates through which food passes, aided by Peristalsis, peristaltic contracti ...

without lateral diverticula and a posterior

intestine The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans a ...

that bifurcates at level of genital atrium in two lateral branches not united posteriorly, one branche ends at level of the testes while the other extends into the haptor. Each adult contains male and female reproductive organs. The reproductive organs include an anterior genital atrium, armed with numerous conical spines, arranged as one main anterior group and two postero-lateral smaller groups called (“pockets” of Mamaev), a medio-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 hy ...

located posterior to genital atrium, a single tubular

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 bod ...

consisting of a convoluted tube and 9–20 intercaecal post-ovarian

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 testostero ...

in posterior half of body proper. The eggs are fusiform with long filaments at both ends.

Etymology

The species name refers to

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , religi ...

, the type-locality of the species.

Diagnosis

''Microcotyle algeriensis'' differs from ''Microcotyle'' sp. from ''Helicolenus dactylopterus'' by the number of clamps, the number of spines in the genital atrium, hosts, and COI divergence between the two. ''Microcotyle algeriensis'' is also distinguished different from ''M. sebastis'' from the Pacific by the COI divergence and host.

Molecular informations

Three sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 gene of ''Microcotyle algeriensis'' (and the corresponding host fish) were published by Ayadi ''et al''., (2017). In the same paper, the authors provided two sequences of ''Microcotyle'' sp. along with the corresponding host ''Helicolenus dactylopterus''.

Hosts and localities

The type-host is the small red scorpionfish '' Scorpaena notata'', the identification of the host was confirmed by molecular barcoding of the COI gene. The type-locality is off

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , religi ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q59342061 Microcotylidae Animals described in 2017 Parasites of fish