Microcotyle neozealanica
Microcotyle neozealanica is a species of monogenean, parasitic on the gills of a marine fish. It belongs to the family Microcotylidae. Taxonomy Microcotyle neozealanica was first described by Dillon & Hargis in 1965 as Microcotyle neozealanicus. Caballero y Caballero and Bravo-Hollis erected the genus Paramicrocotyle to describe Paramicrocotyle tampicensis and Paramicrocotyle atriobursata off Mexico, and placed within this genus 16 species previously assigned to the genus Microcotyle including Microcotyle neozealanica. However, Microcotyle neozealanica was returned to the genus Microcotyle and Paramicrocotyle is considered a junior subjective synonym of Microcotyle. Microcotyle neozealanica was redescribed by Dillon et al., in 1985 from a single specimen from the gills of Chloropthalmus nigripinnis. The authors stated that additional specimens from this host were needed to verify this record. According to the World Register of Marine Species neozealanicus is a malformed suffix. The current accepted name is Microcotyle neozealanica. Morphology Microcotyle neozealanica has the general morphology of all species of Microcotyle, with an elongate fusiform body provided with a thin and smooth tegument, and comprising an anterior body proper which contains most organs and a posterior part called the haptor. The haptor is symmetrical, not well delineated from body proper, and bears 24–29 pairs of