Diplectanidae Monticelli 1903

Diplectanidae Monticelli, 1903

Diagnosis: Body fusiform, comprising cephalic region, trunk, peduncle, haptor. Tegument smooth or scaled. Cephalic glands unicellular, lateral or posterolateral to pharynx. Eyes present or absent. Mouth subterminal, midventral. Pharynx muscular, glandular. Intestinal caeca 2, non-confluent posteriorly, usually lacking diverticula (exceptionally present in Latericaecum pearsoni Young, 1969). Genital pore midventral near level of caecal bifurcation (exceptionally modified in Telegamatrix). Genital atrium muscular or sclerotized. One testis, postgermarian. Male copulatory organ sclerotized; accessory piece present or absent. Articulation of the male copulatory organ with the accessory piece (when accessory piece present) absent [3] or present. Vas deferens intercaecal or looping left intestinal caecum. Seminal vesicle an expansion of vas deferens. Germarium saccate, looping right intestinal caecum. Vagina sclerotized or muscular; sinistral or dextral. Seminal receptacle saccate. Egg operculate with polar filament, ovate or tetrahedral. Haptor usually with 3 (1 midventral, 2 laterodorsal) and exceptionally with 2 (Lobotrema) or 4 haptoral bars (Diplectanocotyla); 14 hooks (8 marginal, 2 central, 4 dorsal); 2 pairs of anchors (1 ventral, 1dorsal); accessory adhesive organ (squamodiscs, lamellodiscs) present or absent. Ventral bar with longitudinal groove [1]. Superficial root of ventral anchor well defined or reduced. Dorsal anchor with reduced superficial root [2]. Parasites of marine and freshwater actinopterygians.