Allopseudaxine yaito facts for kids
Allopseudaxine yaito is a tiny flatworm that lives as a parasite on the gills of ocean fish. It's part of a group of worms called monogeneans. This worm belongs to a family known as Axinidae.
Quick facts for kids Allopseudaxine yaito |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Allopseudaxine
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| Species: |
yaito
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What is Allopseudaxine yaito?
Scientists named this worm Allopseudaxine yaito after studying three adult worms. They found these worms on a type of tuna called the kawakawa, also known as the mackerel tuna. This fish's scientific name is Euthynnus affinis. The worms were discovered off the coast of Hawaii.
How Allopseudaxine yaito Looks
The body of Allopseudaxine yaito has two main parts. The front part is narrow and holds most of its organs. The back part is called the haptor. This haptor is shaped like a half-circle and has 15 to 26 special gripping tools called clamps.
These clamps help the worm hold tightly onto the gill of the fish. The worm also has a long, cone-shaped flap called a lappet. This lappet has two pairs of tiny hooks. At the very front of its body, it has two mouth suckers.
Inside its body, the worm has a mouth, a throat (pharynx), and a tube called an oesophagus. Its intestine splits into two branches that go along the sides of its body. One branch even extends into the haptor.
Each adult Allopseudaxine yaito has both male and female reproductive parts. It has a special opening called a genital atrium with 13 hooks. It also has many testes (male parts) and an ovary (female part).
Where Allopseudaxine yaito Lives
The main fish that Allopseudaxine yaito lives on is the kawakawa or mackerel tuna. This fish is scientifically known as Euthynnus affinis. It belongs to the Scombridae family, which includes tunas and mackerels. The first place these worms were found was off the coast of Hawaii.
