Pseudorhabdosynochus cupatus facts for kids

Pseudorhabdosynochus cupatus is a tiny species of flatworm that lives as a parasite on the gills of grouper fish. These worms are called "monogeneans" because they have only one host during their life.

What it Looks Like

Pseudorhabdosynochus cupatus is a very small worm. It has a flat body, like many other worms in its family, Pseudorhabdosynochus. At the back of its body, it has a special organ called a haptor. This haptor helps the worm stick firmly to the gills of the fish it lives on.

The haptor has two special disc-like structures called squamodiscs. One is on the top side and one is on the bottom side. Scientists have studied this worm in detail, including specimens from places like New Caledonia. Some scientists even group Pseudorhabdosynochus cupatus with other similar worms, calling them the "Pseudorhabdosynochus cupatus group."

Where it Lives and Who it Lives On

This tiny worm lives on grouper fish. When it was first discovered in 1969, scientists thought its main host was a fish called Epinephelus merra. However, later studies comparing parasites from groupers in New Caledonia and Australia showed that its true main host is actually another type of grouper, Epinephelus quoyanus.

The place where this worm was first found is off Heron Island, which is in Queensland, Australia.

How it Got its Name

This worm was first described in 1969 by a scientist named Young. He named it Diplectanum cupatum. Later, in 1986, other scientists, Kritsky and Beverley-Burton, moved it to a different group of worms, the genus Pseudorhabdosynochus.

Over time, this species has had a few different scientific names, which are called synonyms. These include Diplectanum cupatum Young, 1969; Cycloplectanum cupatum (Young, 1969) Beverley-Burton & Suriano, 1981; and Pseudorhabdosynochus cupatum (Young, 1969) Kritsky & Beverley-Burton, 1986.