Polyopisthocotylea

Polyopisthocotylea
	Silhouettes of bodies of various polyopisthocotylean monogeneans
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Platyhelminthes
Class:	Monogenea
Subclass:	Polyopisthocotylea
Orders
	See text

Polyopisthocotylea is a subclass of parasitic flatworms in the class Monogenea.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Classification

There are only two subclasses in the class Monogenea:

Monopisthocotylea. The name means "a single posterior sucker" - the attachment organ (the haptor) is simple.
Polyopisthocotylea. The name means "several posterior suckers" - the attachment organ (the haptor) is complex, with several clamps or suckers.

The subclass Polyopisthocotylea contains the four following orders:^[1]

Microcotyle visa, one of the numerous species which are parasitic on gills of marine fish.
Diplozoon paradoxum, famous for its perfect monogamy, with the two individuals of the pair fused together
Lethacotyle vera, a parasite of the brassy trevally (Caranx papuensis), "the monogenean which lost its clamps"
Polystoma integerrimum, a parasite of frogs which synchronises its breeding with that of its host
Protocotyle euzetmaillardi, a parasite of the bigeyed sixgill shark Hexanchus nakamurai
Chimaericola leptogaster, a parasite of the gills of the chimaera Chimaera monstrosa.

^ ^a ^b WoRMS (2023). Polyopisthocotylea. Accessed at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=119220 on 2023-12-21
^ Yamaguti, S. (1963). Systema Helminthum Volume IV Monogenea and Aspidocotylea: John Wiley & Sons.
^ Hayward, C. (2005). Monogenea Polyopisthocotylea (ectoparasitic flukes). In K. Rohde (Ed.), Marine Parasitology (pp. 55-63): CSIRO, Collingwood, Australia & CABI, Oxon, UK.