Anchitrematidae Mehra 1935

Family Anchitrematidae Mehra, 1935

Diagnosis: Body elongate-oval to lingulate, tegument usually spinose. Forebody not extending posterior to midlevel of body, represents about one-third of body length or slightly more. Oral sucker subterminal. Ventral sucker smaller than oral sucker. Prepharynx absent; pharynx much smaller than oral sucker; esophagus short to nearly absent; intestinal bifurcation immediately posterior to pharynx; ceca long or short. Testes immediately posterior to ventral sucker, elongate oval, lobed or not, symmetrical, extra-cecal in species with long ceca, laterally situated near body wall. Cirrus sac round, relatively large, immediately anterior to ventral sucker; seminal vesicle long, convoluted, winds extensively throughout cirrus sac. Genital pore medial or nearly so, opens in posterior aspect of region between intestinal bifurcation and ventral sucker. Genital atrium present. Ovary entire, generally spherical to somewhat elongate-oval, medial, post-testicular. Seminal receptacle reportedly canalicular, sperm present in proximal end of uterus in species of Piscianchitrema. Laurer’s canal present. Uterus largely fills post-testicular space, with coiled descending and ascending limbs. Metraterm extensive, situated between cirrus sac and ovary. Eggs usually small, operculate, numerous. Vitelline fields follicular, in narrow band on each side of body, post-testicular, terminate some distance anterior to posterior extremity. Excretory vesicle Y-shaped; excretory arms long; excretory pore terminal to somewhat dorsal. Intestinal in freshwater fish from Egypt, reptiles and mammals (mostly bats) in northern and equatorial Africa, and Asia. Type genus Anchitrema Looss, 1899.