Login
Login

Philometra

{{Short description|Genus of roundworms}}

{{Automatic_taxobox

| image = Parasite140007-fig7 Philometra fasciati Moravec & Justine, 2008 (Nematoda, Philometridae).tif

| image_caption = Philometra fasciati

| taxon = Philometra

| authority = Costa, 1845

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision = See text

}}

Philometra is a genus of nematodes, which are parasites of marine and freshwater fishes.{{cite web|url=http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/species/disease/pdfs/fishdiseases/philometra.pdf |title=Philometra|website=Alaska Department of Fish and Game}} The genus was erected by Oronzio Gabriele Costa in 1845.

Species in this genus are worldwide. They parasitize the body cavities, tissues and ovaries of both marine and freshwater fishes. When still in the larval stages, these worms move to the body cavities or subcutaneous tissues in the host. This migration can cause damage to skeletal joints, result in internal bleeding, and inflame visceral organs. Emaciation and lowered growth rates may result from this.

Infestation produces nodules under the skin. When the worms are in the adult or juvenile stage, these nodules may be visible between the rays of the fins or may cause the scales to raise up. Larger nodules may be the result of gravid females which may rupture the skin surface. Once ruptured, the female{{Clarify |date=February 2020 |reason=Should this be 'nodule'?}} disintegrates. This allows the release of the live larvae into the water. This wound on the fish then heals, leaving almost no scarring.

Species of Philometra require two hosts to complete their life cycle. After the larval worms are released from the host fish, they are ingested by copepods which act as an intermediate host. Once inside the copepod, the larvae molt several times. Fish may then eat the infested copepod.

Known hosts

Species of this genus are known to parasitize numerous species of fish, including:

Gallery

File:Parasite170008-fig1 - Ovary of fish with visible Philometra females.png|Ovary of fish with visible Philometra females

File:Parasite140007-fig6 Philometra fasciati Moravec & Justine, 2008 (Nematoda, Philometridae).tif|Philometra fasciati

File:Parasite140007-fig1 Philometra austropacifica Moravec & Justine, 2014 (Nematoda, Philometridae).tif|Philometra austropacifica

File:Parasite140007-fig9 Philometra selaris Moravec & Justine, 2014 (Nematoda, Philometridae).tif|Philometra selaris

Parasite140132-fig1 Philometra protonibeae (Nematoda, Philometridae).png|Philometra protonibeae

Parasite140132-fig2 Philometra protonibeae (Nematoda, Philometridae).png|Philometra protonibeae

Parasite140132-fig3 Philometra protonibeae (Nematoda, Philometridae).png|Philometra protonibeae

Parasite140132-fig4 Philometra sp. (Nematoda, Philometridae) from Lutjanus johnii.png|Philometra sp.

Taxonomy

The following species are recognized by the World Register of Marine Species:{{cite WoRMS|author=Gibson, David |year= 2020|title=Philometra Costa, 1845|id=22918|accessdate=6 February 2015 |db=Nematode}}

=''Nomina dubia''=

References

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

  • {{cite journal|last1=Moravec|first1=František|last2=Buron|first2=Isaure de|title=A synthesis of our current knowledge of philometrid nematodes, a group of increasingly important fish parasites|journal=Folia Parasitologica|volume=60|issue=2|year=2013|pages=81–101|issn=0015-5683|doi=10.14411/fp.2013.010|pmid=23724728 |url=http://folia.paru.cas.cz/artkey/fol-201302-0001_A_synthesis_of_our_current_knowledge_of_philometrid_nematodes_a_nbsp_group_of_increasingly_important_fish_para.php|doi-access=free}} {{open access}}
  • {{cite journal|last1=Moravec|first1=František|last2=Chávez|first2=Rosa A.|last3=Oliva|first3=Marcelo E.|title=A new gonad-infecting species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) from the red cusk-eel Genypterus chilensis (Osteichthyes: Ophidiidae) off Chile|journal=Parasitology Research|volume=108|issue=1|year=2010|pages=227–232|issn=0932-0113|doi=10.1007/s00436-010-2054-0|pmid=20852887 |hdl=10533/128205|s2cid=5789541 |hdl-access=free}}
  • {{cite journal|last1=Moravec|first1=František|last2=Ali|first2=Atheer|title=Philometra johnii sp. nov. (Nematoda, Philometridae), a new gonad-infecting philometrid from the sin croaker Johnius dussumieri (Cuvier) (Perciformes, Sciaenidae) from marine waters of Iraq|journal=Acta Parasitologica|volume=58|issue=3|year=2013|pages=263–268 |issn=1896-1851|doi=10.2478/s11686-013-0139-5|pmid=23990421 |s2cid=15992780 |doi-access=free}}
  • {{cite journal|last1=Moravec|first1=František|last2=Barton|first2=Diane P.|title=Two gonad-infecting species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) from marine fishes off the northern coast of Australia|journal=Parasite|volume=22|year=2015|pages=4|issn=1776-1042|doi=10.1051/parasite/2015008|url= |pmid=25654578|pmc=4318486}} {{open access}}
  • {{cite journal|last1=Moravec|first1=František|last2=Justine|first2=Jean-Lou|title=New records of species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) from marine fishes off New Caledonia, including P. cephalopholidis sp. n. from Cephalopholis sonnerati (Serranidae)|journal=Parasitology Research|volume=114|issue=9|year=2015|pages=3223–3228|issn=0932-0113|doi=10.1007/s00436-015-4538-4|pmid=25982574 |s2cid=18037114 }}
  • {{cite journal|last1=Moravec|first1=František|last2=Chaabane|first2=Amira|last3=Justine|first3=Jean-Lou|last4=Neifar|first4=Lassad|title=Two gonad-infecting species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) from groupers (Serranidae) off Tunisia, with a key to Philometra species infecting serranid gonads|journal=Parasite|volume=23|year=2016|pages=8|issn=1776-1042|doi=10.1051/parasite/2016008|url= |pmid=26956219|pmc=4783587}} {{open access}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q5268606}}

Category:Secernentea genera

Category:Camallanida

Category:Parasitic nematodes of fish

Category:Taxa named by Oronzio Gabriele Costa