CLASS MONOGENEA

• • 8000 parasitic species
  • 25000 are thought to exist
  • Most are ectoparasites
• Has a large posterior attachment organ called a haptor with also an anterior attachment organ also known as a prohaptor (anterior adhesive organ, with suckers and adhesive glands for attachment)
• • Life cycle
  • adult attaches in fish
  • eggs
  • oncomiracidium
  • attaches to fish
• • Monogeneans were once thought to be trematodes because they resemble flukes
  • Similarities with cestodes and trematodes are based on convergent evolution
  • Site specific and host specific