{{short description|Species of worms}} {{Speciesbox | image = | image_caption = | genus = Microcotyle | species = omani | authority = Machkewskyi, Dmitrieva, Al-Jufaili & Al-Mazrooei, 2013 <ref name="MachkewskyiDmitrieva2013"/> | synonyms = ''Microcotyle omanae'' <small>Machkewskyi, Dmitrieva, Al-Jufaili & Al-Mazrooei, 2013</small> }}
'''''Microcotyle omani''''' is a species of monogenean, parasitic on the gills of a marine fish. It belongs to the family Microcotylidae.<ref>WoRMS (2018). Microcotyle omani Machkewskyi, Dmitrieva, Al-Jufaili & Al-Mazrooei, 2013. Accessed at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=740986 on 2018-12-31</ref><ref name="MachkewskyiDmitrieva2013">{{cite journal|last1=Machkewskyi|first1=Volodymyr K.|last2=Dmitrieva|first2=Evgenija V.|last3=Al-Jufaili|first3=Sara|last4=Al-Mazrooei|first4=Nashwa A. M.|title=''Microcotyle omanae'' n. sp. (Monogenea: Microcotylidae), a parasite of ''Cheimerius nufar'' (Valenciennes) (Sparidae) from the Arabian Sea|journal=Systematic Parasitology|volume=86|issue=2|year=2013|pages=153–163|issn=0165-5752|doi=10.1007/s11230-013-9444-5|pmid=24048747 |s2cid=15324209 }}</ref>
==Systematics== ''Microcotyle omani'' was first described as based on 20 specimens from the gills of the santer seabream ''Cheimerius nufar'' (Sparidae) as ''Microcotyle omanae''. <ref name="MachkewskyiDmitrieva2013"/> The correlations between 15 morphometric characters and body length was investigated in ''Microcotyle omani'', as well as and their significance for species differentiation. <ref name="MachkewskyiDmitrieva2013"/>
==Morphology== ''Microcotyle omani'' has the general morphology of all species of ''Microcotyle'', with a symmetrical fusiform elongate body, comprising an anterior part which contains most organs and a posterior part called the haptor. The haptor is subsymmetrical, and bears 94–120 clamps, arranged as two equal rows, one on each side. The clamps of the haptor attach the animal to the gill of the fish. There are also two oval septal buccal suckers at the anterior extremity. The digestive organs include an anterior, terminal mouth, a subcircular pharynx, an oesophagus with lateral diverticula and a posterior intestine bifurcating at the level of the genital atrium into two lateral branches provided with numerous secondary branches; its left branch extends into the haptor. Each adult contains male and female reproductive organs. The reproductive organs include an anterior large inverted heart-shaped genital atrium, armed with numerous spines, a medio-dorsal vagina, a single ovary in form of question-mark and 34–55 testes, irregular in shape and size and generally occurring in 2–4 interleaved rows, intercaecal, in the posterior half of the body proper. The eggs are fusiform, with 2 long filaments bearing strongly curled tips. <ref name="MachkewskyiDmitrieva2013"/>
==Differential diagnosis== ''Microcotyle omani'' closely resembles ''Microcotyle arripis'', ''Microcotyle helotes'', ''Microcotyle caudata'' and ''Microcotyle sebastis'', found in the Indo-Pacific. It differs from ''M. arripis'', ''M. helotes'' and ''M. caudata'' by the number of testes, from ''M. arripis'', ''M. helotes'' by the genital atrium, and length/width ratio of the genital atrium and length of the eggs, and from ''M. helotes'' in greater width of the clamps, from ''M. caudata'' and ''M. sebastis'' by the number of clamps and the ratio between length and width of the genital atrium. <ref name="MachkewskyiDmitrieva2013"/>
==Etymology== The species name refers to Oman, the type-locality of the species. <ref name="MachkewskyiDmitrieva2013"/>
==Hosts and localities== [[File:Cheimerius nufar1.jpg|thumb|left|The santer seabream ''Cheimerius nufar'' is the type host of ''Microcotyle omani'']] The type-host and only recorded host is the santer seabream ''Cheimerius nufar'' (Sparidae). The type-locality and only recorded locality is off Oman. <ref name="MachkewskyiDmitrieva2013"/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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Category:Microcotyle Category:Parasites of fish Category:Animals described in 2013 Category:Fauna of Oman