Malacobdellidae is a monogeneric family within the phylum Nemertea. It is included with the order Hoplonemertea within the class Enopla (formerly in monotypic order Bdellonemertea of the same class).[1]
| Malacobdella | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Malacobdella sp. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Nemertea |
| Class: | Hoplonemertea |
| Order: | Monostilifera |
| Family: | Malacobdellidae Blanchard, 1847 |
| Genus: | Malacobdella Blainville, 1827 |
Morphology
The family, as well as its sole genus Malacobdella, is characterized by a posterior ventral sucker and a proboscis lacking a stylet.[2] As in other Hoplonemertea, the lateral longitudinal nerve cord is located internal to the body wall muscles, in the mesenchyme.[3]
Ecology
Members of Bdellonemertea are all commensal, living in the mantle cavities of bivalves.[4] The only non-marine and non-bivalve hosted species, Malacobdella auriculae, is doubtful. It was described in 1847 by Émile Blanchard on the basis of a single drawing of his colleague and probably wasn't even a nemertean.[5] Malacobdella feed on small food particles that are brought into the mollusk's ctenidia.
References
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