Branchobdella, Kearn & Whittington & Evans-Gowing, 2007

Kearn, Graham C., Whittington, Ian D. & Evans-Gowing, Richard, 2007, A revision of Entobdella Blainville in Lamarck, 1818, with special emphasis on the nominal (type) species “ Entobdella hippoglossi (Müller, 1776) Blainville, 1818 ” (Monogenea: Capsalidae: Entobdellinae) from teleost flatfishes, with descriptions of three new species and a new genus, Zootaxa 1659, pp. 1-54 : 40

Branchobdella n. gen.

Type and only species: Branchobdella pugetensis ( Robinson, 1961) comb. nov.

Etymology: Reflects branchial (gill) microhabitat, compared with preference for skin in most Entobdella spp.

Diagnosis: With features of the Capsalidae sensu Yamaguti (1963) and Entobdellinae sensu Kearn & Whittington (2005). Median haptor sclerites large relative to haptor size. Ventral haptor surface lacking papillae. Marginal valve present, conspicuous. Tendons entering haptor from body musculature attach to proximal end of anterior hamuli. Anterior attachment apparatus comprising 1 pair of elongate, anterolateral adhesive pads; each pad subdivided into 3 areas. Two reservoirs for male accessory gland secretion, 1 inside, 1 outside sac enclosing male copulatory organ. Posterior (proximal) wall of sac thick, probably muscular. Male copulatory organ a penis. Vagina short, straight, not convoluted. Vaginal opening posterior to excretory pore and ootype. No seminal receptacles communicating with ovo-vitelline duct (needs confirmation in sectioned material). Glands of Goto present. Parasitic on gills of pleuronectid (teleost) fishes.