{{short description|Species of worms}} {{Speciesbox | image = | image_caption = | genus = Microcotyle | species = arripis | authority = Sandars, 1945 | synonyms = }}
'''''Microcotyle arripis''''' is a species of monogenean, parasitic on the gills of a marine fish. It belongs to the family Microcotylidae.<ref name="Sandars1945">Sandars, D. F. (1945). Five new microcotylids from fish from Western Australian waters. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia, 29, 107-135. [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/43973583 PDF at BHL] {{open access}}</ref>
==Systematics== ''Microcotyle arripis'' was first described by Sandars in 1945 based on 51 specimens from the gills of the Australian herring ''Arripis georgianus'' (Arripidae) off Western Australia.<ref name="Sandars1945"/> It was redescribed and illustrated from the type host and locality,.<ref name="Dillon&al1985">Dillon, W. A., Hargis Jr, W. J., & Harrises, A. E. (1985). Monogeneans from the southern Pacific Ocean: Polyopisthocotyleids from the Australian fishes. The subfamily Microcotylinae. Zoologicheskiy Zhurnal [1984], 63, (3), 348-359. Translation Series Number 32 of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, The College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062, U.S.A. March, 1985 [http://www.vims.edu/GreyLit/VIMS/trans32 PDF of English Translation from Russian] {{open access}}</ref><ref name="Williams1991">{{cite journal|last1=Williams|first1=Alan|title=Monogeneans of the families Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879 and Heteraxinidae Price, 1962 from Western Australia, including the description of ''Polylabris sandarsae'' n. sp. (Microcotylidae)|journal=Systematic Parasitology|volume=18|issue=1|year=1991|pages=17–43|issn=0165-5752|doi=10.1007/BF00012221}}</ref><ref name="CatalanoHutson2010">{{cite journal|last1=Catalano|first1=Sarah R.|last2=Hutson|first2=Kate S.|last3=Ratcliff|first3=Rodney M.|last4=Whittington|first4=Ian D.|title=Redescriptions of two species of microcotylid monogeneans from three arripid hosts in southern Australian waters|journal=Systematic Parasitology|volume=76|issue=3|year=2010|pages=211–222|issn=0165-5752|doi=10.1007/s11230-010-9247-x|pmid=20532853 }}</ref> All authors noted minor differences in their redescriptions.<ref name="Dillon&al1985"/><ref name="Williams1991"/><ref name="CatalanoHutson2010"/> A sequence of the species' 28S rRNA gene has been published.<ref name="CatalanoHutson2010"/>
==Description== ''Microcotyle arripis'' has the general morphology of all species of ''Microcotyle'', with a symmetrical elongated body tapered posteriorly and anteriorly, comprising an anterior part which contains most organs and a posterior part called the haptor. The haptor is symmetrical, not well delimited from body proper and bears 35 pairs of clamps, arranged as two rows, one on each side. The clamps of the haptor attach the animal to the gill of the fish. There are also two buccal suckers at the anterior extremity. The digestive organs include an anterior, terminal mouth, a circular muscular pharynx situated very close to the oral suckers, an oesophagus bifurcating a little distance behind the genital atrium and a posterior intestine with two lateral branches that penetrates the haptor and are provided with numerous secondary branches. Each adult contains male and female reproductive organs. The reproductive organs include an anterior genital atrium opening a little distance behind the pharynx, armed with numerous conical spines, a medio-dorsal vagina, a single S-shaped ovary and 23 testes posterior to the ovary, of irregular shape and fit closely against one another.<ref name="Sandars1945"/>
==Diagnosis== According to Sandars (1945), ''Microcotyle arripis'' most closely resembles ''Microcotyle caudata'', ''Microcotyle truncata'', ''Microcotyle fusiformis'', and ''Microcotyle sebastis''. It can be distinguished from these species by different measurements.<ref name="Sandars1945"/>
==Hosts and localities== [[File:Tommy Ruff 1.PNG|thumb|left|The type-host of ''Microcotyle arripis'' is the Australian herring ''Arripis georgianus'']] The type-host is the Australian herring ''Arripis georgianus'' (Arripidae). The type-locality is off Western Australia.<ref name="Sandars1945"/> There are other records.<ref name="Dillon&al1985"/><ref name="Williams1991"/><ref name="CatalanoHutson2010"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2740604}}
Category:Microcotyle Category:Animals described in 1945 Category:Parasites of fish Category:Flatworms of Australia