{{short description|Species of worm}} {{Speciesbox | image = | image_caption = | genus = Microcotyle | species = peprili | authority = Pearse, 1949 <ref name="Pearse1949"/> | synonyms = ''Microcotyle (Microcotyle) peprili''<small> (Pearse, 1949) Unnithan, 1971</small><ref name="Unnithan1971"/> }}

'''''Microcotyle peprili''''' is a species of monogenean, parasitic on the gills of a marine fish. It belongs to the family Microcotylidae.<ref name="Pearse1949">Pearse, A. S. (1949). Observations on flatworms and nemerteans collected at Beaufort, N. C. Proceedings of the United States National Museum. https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/16490/USNMP-100_3255_1949.pdf?sequence=1.pdf {{open access}}</ref>

==Systematics== ''Microcotyle peprili'' was first described based on a single specimen from the gill of a single host.<ref name="Pearse1949"/> This species was placed in the nominal subgenus ''Microcotyle'' as ''Microcotyle (Microcotyle) peprili''.<ref name="Unnithan1971">Unnithan, R. V. (1971). On the functional morphology of a new fauna of Monogenoidea on fishes from Trivandrum and environs. Part IV. Microcotylidae sensu stricto and its repartition into subsidiary taxa. American Midland Naturalist, 366-398.</ref> However, this combination was suppressed.<ref name="Mamaev1986">Mamaev, Y. L. (1986). The taxonomical composition of the family Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879 (Monogenea). Folia Parasitologica, 33, 199-206. [https://folia.paru.cas.cz/pdfs/fol/1986/03/02.pdf PDF] {{open access}}</ref> Due to the lack of detail in the original description, ''Microcotyle peprili'' was redescribed and illustrated based on 10 specimens from the type-host off Chesapeake Bay.<ref name="McMahon1964">{{cite journal|last1=McMahon|first1=John W.|title=Monogenetic Trematodes from some Chesapeake Bay fishes. Part II. The Superfamily Diclidophoroidea|journal=Chesapeake Science|volume=5|issue=3|year=1964|pages=124|issn=0009-3262|doi=10.2307/1351371}}</ref> McMahon added some anatomical features not noted in the distorted type-specimen.<ref name="McMahon1964"/>

==Morphology== ''Microcotyle peprili'' has the general morphology of all species of ''Microcotyle'', with an elongate fusiform body tapered toward the anterior end and the haptor-bearing region, provided with a thin and smooth tegument, comprising an anterior part which contains most organs and a posterior part called the haptor. The tapering haptor is 0.12&nbsp;mm long, and bears about 175 clamps similar in shape, 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 lateral muscular buccal suckers anterior to the pharynx at the anterior extremity. The digestive organs include an anterior, terminal mouth, a spherical pharynx, an esophagus extending just posterior to the genital atrium, and a posterior intestine with two lateral branches ramified laterally and fusing in a single peduncle that extends into the haptor. Each adult contains male and female reproductive organs. The reproductive organs include a genital atrium, armed with numerous conical spines arranged in concentric circles, opening near anterior end, a single relatively long ovary, a uterus, vitelline glands that extends along both sides from the genital atrium to the beginning of the haptor and are joined posteriorly, and 13-24 testes which are posterior to the ovary. The eggs are elongate with a short filament at both poles.<ref name="Pearse1949"/><ref name="McMahon1964"/>

==Etymology== The specific name ''peprili'' is derived from the generic name of the host species ''Peprilus paru'' (currently ''Peprilus alepidotus'').<ref name="Pearse1949"/>

==Diagnosis== According to Pearse (1949), ''Microcotyle peprili'' can be differentiated from other species of the genus ''Microcotyle'' by the number of clamps, characters of the haptor and by the spines of the genital atrium.<ref name="Pearse1949"/>

==Hosts, localities== [[File:FMIB 51425 Harvest-Fish; Star-Fish Peprilus alepidotus.jpeg|thumb|left|The type-host of ''Microcotyle peprili'' is the American harvestfish ''Peprilus alepidotus'']] The American harvestfish ''Peprilus alepidotus'' (Stromateidae) (currently ''Peprilus paru'') <ref>Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. (2019). FishBase. Peprilus paru (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=159827 on 2019-01-19 </ref> is the type and only recorded host of ''Microcotyle peprili''.<ref name="Pearse1949"/> ''Microcotyle peprili'' has been first described from fish caught off North Carolina.<ref name="Pearse1949"/> It was also reported from the Chesapeake Bay.<ref name="McMahon1964"/>

== References == {{Reflist}}

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Category:Microcotyle Category:Animals described in 1949 Category:Fauna of the United States Category:Fauna without expected TNC conservation status