Aspidogastrea facts for kids

The Aspidogastrea (say: As-pi-doh-GAS-tree-uh) is a small group of tiny creatures called flukes. The name comes from Greek words: aspid means "shield," and gaster means "stomach" or "pouch." There are about 80 different kinds, or species, of Aspidogastrea.

These flukes are a type of trematode, which is a class of flatworms. They are closely related to another group called the Digenea. Aspidogastrea are quite small, usually between one millimeter and several centimeters long.

What Are Aspidogastrea?

Aspidogastrea are parasites. This means they live inside or on other animals to survive. They can be found in both freshwater and marine environments.

• They often live inside molluscs, like snails and clams.
• They also live inside vertebrates, which are animals with backbones. This includes cartilaginous fish (like sharks), bony fish, and turtles.

Sometimes, these flukes grow up and become adults inside a mollusc. Other times, they mature inside a vertebrate host.

Why Are They Important to Scientists?

Even though Aspidogastrea don't have a big impact on our economy or daily lives, they are very interesting to biologists. Scientists study them because they have some unique features that seem very old or "basal" in their evolutionary history. This means they can help us understand how different groups of parasites evolved over time.

See also

In Spanish: Aspidogástreos para niños