Family MICROBOTHRIIDAE Price, 1936

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Family MICROBOTHRIIDAE Price, 1936

Introduction

The Microbothriidae is a family of Monogenea, species of which principally infect the placoid scales or denticles of shark and ray skin. Some, however are reported from gill and nasal tissue (Whittington & Chisholm 2008).

Microbothriids are oviparous. The most remarkable aspect of their biology is the fact that unlike almost all other Monogenea, microbothriids do not use haptoral sclerites for attachment but instead glue themselves to the enamel-like surfaces of shark denticles. There is strong evidence that the eggs of some microbothriid species in Europe rely on chemical cues such as urea to promote hatching.

In Australia, the Microbothriidae are represented by a single species, Pseudoleptobothrium aptychotremae, from rhinobatid (shovelnose ray) hosts. At first sight, this species may appear unusual because it has been reported from several host species (e.g. Young 1967; Glennon et al. 2006a, 2006b). Recent molecular studies, however, indicate that this species may represent a complex of species that infects rhinobatid rays off the east coast (Glennon et al., 2008). Studies on P. aptychotremae suggest its eggs may hatch spontaneously but hatching success is relatively low and eggs may also require an, as yet unidentified, hatching stimulant (Glennon et al., 2006b).

The diverse shark and ray fauna of Australia is relatively unexplored for Microbothriidae.