Paramphistomum
| Paramphistomum | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Platyhelminthes |
| Class: | Trematoda |
| Subclass: | Digenea |
| Order: | Echinostomida |
| Family: | Paramphistomatidae |
| Genus: |
Paramphistomum Fischoeder, 1901 |
| Type species | |
|
Paramphistomum cervi Zeder, 1790 |
|
Paramphistomum is a genus of parasitic flat worms belonging to the digenetic trematodes. It includes tiny flukes which are mostly parasitising ruminants, as well as some wild mammals. They are responsible for a serious disease called paramphistomiasis (or classically amphistomosis), especially in cattle and sheep. Its symptoms include profuse diarrhoea, anaemia, lethargy, and often result in death if untreated. They are found throughout the world, and most abundantly in farming regions such as Australia, Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Russia.
The generic name was introduced by F. Fischoeder in 1901 for the replacement of the then existing genus Amphistoma (Rudolphi, 1809). Under the new genus he redescribed both Paramphistomum cervi and P. bothriophoron and designated the former as the type species.
Due to striking resemblance with each other and with other amphistomes, a number of described species are known to be synonymous. Some important species are:
The generic name (Greek: para meaning "similar" [to Amphistoma], amphi meaning "on both sides", and stoma for "mouth") is given due to the presence of an anterior oral sucker and a posterior larger ventral sucker in adult worms. The body is minute, measuring less than a centimetre. The body is covered with a highly folded tegument, which in turn is provided with sensory papillae. Paramphistomum are all hermaphrodite, having both male and female reproductive systems in the posterior region of the body.
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