Life Cycle: Cleidodiscus species have a direct life cycle. Hermaphroditic adults of the Ancyrocephalidae family are attached to the gills of fish and produce eggs that are expelled into the water column and attach to mucus or organic material. The eggs hatch and the larvae attach to a new host and develop into the adult phase (Reed et al., 2012).
Description:
Somewhat flattened dorsoventrally, trunk narrowly elliptical in outline. Eyes 4, posterior pair pair larger. Gut bifurcate, without diverticula; rami confluent posteriorly. Gonads near middle of body. Cirrus usually a simple cuticularized tube. Accessory piece always present, generally articulated basally with cirrus. Vagina usually present, opening on left margin near middle of trunk. Vitellaria of numerous small, discrete follicles arranged in pair of lateral bands extending from pharyngeal region to, or into, peduncle; bands always confluent posteriorly and sometimes anteriorly. Haptor generally distinct, discoidal or subhexagonal; armed with 2 pairs of bars and 7 pairs of hooklets. Anchors with superficial roots of each pair connected by transverse bar; bars nonarticulate with each other.
Sources: Hoffman, G.L. and Williams Jr., E.H. 1999. Parasites of North American Freshwater Fishes. Second Edition, p. 113.
Reed, P., Francis-Floyd, R., Klinger, R., and Petty, D. 2012. Monogenean Parasites of Fish. University of Florida IFAS extension. EDIS. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa033. Accessed Jan. 15 2016.
