Microcotyle branchiostegi

Microcotyle branchiostegi is a species of monogenean, parasitic on the gills of a marine fish. It belongs to the family Microcotylidae. ^[2]

Microcotyle branchiostegi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Platyhelminthes
Class:	Monogenea
Order:	Mazocraeidea
Family:	Microcotylidae
Genus:	Microcotyle
Species:	M. branchiostegi
Binomial name
Microcotyle branchiostegi Yamaguti, 1937
Synonyms
Caenomicrocotyle (Caenomicrocotyle) branchiostegi (Yamaguti, 1937) Unnithan1971 [1]

Taxonomy

Microcotyle branchiostegi was first described by Yamaguti in 1937 from the gills of the horsehead tilefish Branchiostegus japonicus off Japan. ^[2] Unnithan (1971) placed this species in the new genus and subgenus Caenomicrocotyle as Caenomicrocotyle (Caenomicrocotyle) branchiostegi.^[1] However, this genus and this subgenus were returned into the genus Microcotyle by Mamaev. ^[3]

Hosts and localities

The horsehead tilefish Branchiostegus japonicus is the type host of Microcotyle branchiostegi

The type-host is the horsehead tilefish Branchiostegus japonicus (Malacanthidae). The type-locality is off Japan. ^[2]