Scientific impact:

1.Diplozoon Paradoxum is an extraordinary specie that has two bodies that are completely attached
as one organism
2. They feed on the blood of a Cyprinid which are small fishes such as goldfishes.
3. Diplozoon Paradoxum are completely harmless to humans

TAXONOMY OF PARASITE

Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Platyhelminthes (Phylum)
(flatworms) > Neodermata (Subphylum) > Monogenea (Class) > Polyopisthocotylea (Subclass) > M
azocraeidea (Order) > Diplozoidae (Family) > Diplozoon (Genus) > Diplozoon
paradoxum (Species)
Diplozoon paradoxum is a flatworm (platyhelminth) from the class Monogenea. Monogenea is one of
the largest classes within the phylum Platyhelminthes and they usually possess anterior and posterior
attachment apparatus that are used for settlement, feeding, locomotion and transfer from host to host

PARASITES LIFE CYCLE AND SPECIFIC CHARACTERS OF IT

Diplozoon paradoxum are hermaphroditic flatworms that live on gills of freshwater fishes.They are
usually around 0.7 centimeters (about the size of a fingernail) long and they have bilateral symmetry.
With several hooks at its mouth they grab on the gills of a Cyprinid, feeding on its blood and
reproducing inside them.
The majority of the parasites produce gametes all the year, but the Paradoxum produce gametes
primarily during the spring, with the highest production from May to June and continuing through the
rest of the summer. The life cycle of Diplozoon Paradoxum starts out when it lays an egg on the fish
gills of a Cyprinid. The eggs hatch into a larva stage called oncomiracidium or diporpa. The diporpa
can survive for several months by itself, but it will die out if it doesn't meet another diporpa. So, a male
larvae and a female larvae meet each other, and each attaches its opisthaptor (adhesive organ) to the
dorsal papilla of the other and their bodies completely fuse together.This is known as one of the most
intimate associations of the animal kingdom. After fusion, gonads appear; the male genital duct of one
terminates near the female genital duct of the other, making possible to occur cross-fertilization. Many
authors say that the Diplozoon paradoxum is the only specie which shows 100 percent monogamy,
because they are fused, it´s impossible to get other mates.

METODES PARAZĪTA IZPĒTEI / METHODS FOR PARASITE STUDIES

The first reported occurrence of D. paradoxum from Irish waters was made by Stinson (1954). She
indentified the parasite on the gills of rudd, Scardinius erythrophthalmus taken from the river Strule.
The study area was divided into two collections stations: a downstream zone and a upstream zone.
The boundary between the two stations was marked by a weir. Fish were caught by electrofishing
and transported back to the laboratory in large plastic bags containing oxygenated river water.
Two cross-infection experiments were set up in order to examine the ability of different fishes
species to act as host to D. paradoxum. The fish were housed in two glass tanks, each containing 30
litres of water. Both tanks were at the same temperature, 15º, the optimal temperature for this para-
site reproduction.
Three gudgeon, Gobio gobio and 20 minnows, Phoxinus phoxinus, taken from the upstream zone
were placed in Tank 1. Two gudgeons and four stone loach, Noemachellus barbatulus from the up-
stream zone were kept together with five gudgeon and 15 minnows taken from the downstream
zone in Tank 2. After two months the fishes were examinated for the presence of D.paradoxum.
None of the fishes collected from the downstream zone carried infections. Similarly, the gills of the
minnow, stone loach taken form the upstream zone were free of infections. Just the upstream gud-
geons showed infection.
Parasitological Investigation on Commercially Important Fish and Crustacean Species Collected from the TIGEM
Turkey) Ponds

This study has been conducted in Dortyol TIGEM (General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises), in order to
determine the parasite existance in fishery products. 550 fish and 32 arthropod samples have been taken and
examined during the year between 2007 and 2008. In this study, from Dortyol TIGEM ponds, Diplozoon
paradoxum  and Tetraonchus, which is also Monogenean parasite have been detected.
Prevalence of the Tetraonchus  and Diplozoon paradoxum infection detected in the branchia of the sampled
subjects was found to be at the level of 15%.

The diplozoom paradoxum didn’t display an obvious pathology in their hosts, just epithelium inflam
proliferation and hyperemia loss of live weight

PARAZĪTA SASTOPAMĪBA / OCCURRENCE OF PARASITE

They are found in freshwater fishes at around Asia and Europe. Particulary, in Latvia, it is found in
the lake Liepajas, the fifth largest lake in the country, in the west. The Diplozoon Paradoxum is not
a specie that are in risk of endanger because they have practically no predators. Their only predators
are maybe the goldfish owners that tries to get rid of them so the goldfish isn't harmed. Diplozoon
Paradoxum are completely harmless to humans and they dont kill the goldfish that they are
inhibiting. It doesn't really affect the health of humans and it merely even have any effect on
goldfish. However, it is best to clean out your goldfish to get rid of these extraordinary species.