*Corresponding Author: Anindita Ghosh, Zoological Survey of India, ‘M’ Block,
New Alipore, Kolkata- 700053, India Email: aninditaghosh939@gmail.com. 23
International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences
ISSN: 2455-9571
Volume 11, Issue 1, pp: 23-26, 2026
http://www.ijzab.com
https://doi.org/10.55126/ijzab.2026.v11.i01.004
Research Article
FIRST RECORD OF GENARCHOPSIS MACROCOTYLE COIL AND KUNTZ,
1960 (PLATYHELMINTHES: TREMATODA: DEROGENIDAE)
FROM INDIA
*Anindita Ghosh and Suman Das
Zoological Survey of India, ‘M’ Block, New Alipore, Kolkata- 700053, India
Article History: Received 05th October 2025; Accepted 15th December 2025; Published 1st January 2026
ABSTRACT
The present species Genarchopsis macrocotyle Coil & Kuntz, 1960 is found to be new record in India. Earlier 6 species of
the genus Genarchopsis Ozaki, 1925 had been reported from India. Previously present species Genarchopsis
macrocotyle Coil & Kuntz, 1960 was reported from Bangladesh and Pakistan. Present species is found to be first report
from India. List of Indian species of the genus Genarchopsis Ozaki, 1925 earlier reported from India along with their
distribution and also a comparative chart of key characters of present species with the original description has been
discussed here.
Keywords: Genarchopsis macrocotyle, Derogenidae, West Bengal, New record, India.
INTRODUCTION
Genus Genarchopsis belongs to the family Derogenidae,
class Trematoda. It was described by Ozaki (1925) with the
type species Genarchopsis goppo Ozaki, 1925. More than
18 species had been reported so far from the genus
Genarchopsis Ozaki, 1925, among which 6 species had so
far been recorded from India (WoRMS, 2025). The species
Genarchopsis macrocotyle Coil & Kuntz, 1960 had been
earlier reported from Bangladesh (Coil and Kuntz, 1960)
and Pakistan (Saeed and Bilqees, 1972) and present
document shows the first report of this species from India.
The specimen was collected from the intestine of the fish
Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793) from Shivsahar fishery
pond, Binpur, Jhargram, West Bengal. Diagnostic
characters of the present trematode parasite along with its
images have been discussed. Morphological characters of
the present species have been compared with original
description of the species (Table 1). List of species of the
Genus Genarchopsis Ozaki, 1925 earlier reported from
India along with their distribution (Table 2) have also been
discussed in the present communication.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The host fish Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793) were
collected from Shivsahar fishery pond, Binpur, Jhargram,
West Bengal through fish catch by local fisherman during
the survey and the live fishes were dissected to collect the
parasites so that parasites are alive and could be collected
easily. Dissected parts of the fish were kept in normal
saline for easy release of the specimen from the intestine of
the host as well as relaxation of the specimens. Infections
were found there and trematodes were collected.
Trematodes were then slightly pressed in between a slide
and a coverslip so that morphological characters of these
parasites can be properly visible under microscope. FAA
solution is used for fixation of the specimen and after
fixation trematodes were transferred in small vials in 70%
alcohol and brought in the laboratory for further processing
of the specimen. Trematodes were stained with Borax
Carmine stain and acidified Ethyl Alcohol was used for
differential staining of the specimen. Gradations of ethyl
alcohol (70%- 100% Ethyl alcohol, Xylol)) were used for
dehydration of the specimens. Specimens were then
cleaned in Clove oil and mounted in Canada Balsam.
Morphological characters of the specimens were observed
by using compound microscope (LEICA DM 1000) and
identification of trematodes done on the basis of standard
work of Gibson, Jones and Bray (2002). Measurements
were taken in mm. Identified species have been deposited
in National Zoological Collections of Zoological Survey of
India.
Anindita Ghosh and Suman Das Int. J. Zool. Appl. Biosci., 11(1), 23-26, 2026
www.ijzab.com 24
Specimen details: ZSI/HQ/Platyhelminthes/ W12029/1
(Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata)
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The trematode Genarchopsis macrocotyle Coil and Kuntz,
1960 collected from Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793) from
Shivsahar fishery pond, Binpur, Jhargram, West Bengal is
found to be first record from West Bengal as well as from
India Taxonomic Account: Phylum PLATYHELMINTHES
Minot, 1876, Class TREMATODA Rudolphi, 1808, Order
PLAGIORCHIIDA La Rue, 1957, Suborder HEMIURATA
Skrjabin and Guschanskaja, 1954, Family
DEROGENIDAE Nicoll, 1910, Subfamily HALIPEGINAE
Poche, 1926, Genus Genarchopsis Ozaki, 1925.
Genarchopsis macrocotyle Coil and Kuntz, 1960
Diagnosis: Body elongated with smooth cuticle, maximum
width at acetabular region, 3.107 x 1.030; oral sucker well
developed, subterminal, muscular, 0.325 x 0.362,
prepharynx absent, pharynx well developed, transversely
oval, 0.112 x 0.189; oesophagus absent, intestinal caeca
unite posteriorly just above the vitellaria, ventral sucker
post equatorial, much larger than oral sucker, 0.740 x
0.817, sucker ratio 1: 2.28, distance between two suckers
1.268; testes entire, oval, symmetrical, just below the
acetabulum separated by uterine coils; right testis 0.333 x
0.293, left one 0.260 x 0.286; genital pore just post
bifurcal, ovary entire, oval in shape, post testicular, 0.285 x
0.191, situated far below from right testis, just anterior to
vitellaria, near posterior extremity; eggs thin shelled,
elongated, 0.041-0.048 in length; vitellaria in two large
compact masses, symmetrical, situated at the posterior
extremity.
Figure 1. Genarchopsis macrocotyle Coil & Kuntz, 1960. A. entire worm. B. line Drawing (O.S: oral sucker. Ph: pharynx.
G.P: genital pore. Int: intestine. V.S: ventral sucker. T: testes. Ov: ovary. Vt: vitellaria)
Genarchopsis macrocotyle Coil and Kuntz, 1960 was
previously recorded from Bangladesh and Pakistan only.
Present species was first reported by Coil and Kuntz (1960)
from Bangladesh from the fish host, Channa
punctata (Bloch, 1793). Later in 1972 Saeed and Bilquees
reported the same species from Pakistan. Earlier 6 species
of the genus Genarchopsis Ozaki, 1925, G. goppo Ozaki,
1925, G. avitellarium Varma and Sahay, 1985, G.
cameroni Kakaji, 1969, G. paithanensis Pardeshi and
Hiware, 2012 and G. punctati Agrawal, 1966 had been
reported from India (Table II). Thus, present document
shows first report of Genarchopsis macrocotyle Coil and
Kuntz, 1960 from India. List of Indian species of the genus
Genarchopsis Ozaki, 1925 earlier reported from India
along with their distribution (Table 2) and also a
comparative chart of key characters of present species with
the original description have been discussed here (Table 1).
Anindita Ghosh and Suman Das Int. J. Zool. Appl. Biosci., 11(1), 23-26, 2026
www.ijzab.com 25
Table 1. Comparative Chart of Morphological Characters of the species with original description of Genarchopsis
macrocotyle Coil & Kuntz, 1960.
Morphological Characters
Original Description
Present Description
Oral sucker
Subterminal
Subterminal
Sucker ratio
1 : 2.36
1:2.28
Prepharynx
absent
absent
Oesophagus
absent
absent
Intestinal Caeca
Cyclocoel, extends upto the level of
vitellaria
Cyclocoel, extend posteriorly just above the
vitellaria
Testes
Symmetrical, just below the acetabulum
Symmetrical, just below the acetabulum
Ovary
Situated in posterior quarter of the body
Situated far below from right testis, just
anterior to vitellaria, near posterior extrimity
Genital Pore
Post bifurcal
Post bifurcal
Vitellaria
Follicular; follicles distributed between
pharynx or sometimes oral sucker and
posterior extremity of body
Two large compact masses, symmetrical,
situated at the posterior extremity
Table 2. List of Species of the genus Genarchopsis Ozaki, 1925 earlier reported from India.
S.
No.
Host
Distribution in
India
Global
Distribution
1
Monopterus cuchia (Hamilton,
1822), Channa gachua (Hamilton,
1822), Channa punctata (Bloch,
1793), Channa striata (Bloch,
1793), Gambusia affinis (Baird &
Girard, 1853), Glossogobius
giuris (Hamilton, 1822),
Mastacembelus
armatus (Lacepède, 1800),
Andhra Pradesh,
Bihar, Madhya
Pradesh, Manipur,
Meghalaya,
Telangana,
Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh, West
Bengal
Bangladesh,
China, Japan,
Thailand, India
2
Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793)
Assam
-
3
Sperata seenghala (Sykes, 1839)
Uttar Pradesh
-
4
Mastacembelus
armatus (Lacepède, 1800)
Madhya Pradesh
-
5
Mastacembelus
armatus (Lacepède, 1800)
Maharashtra
-
6
Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793)
Uttar Pradesh, West
Bengal
-
CONCLUSION
The present study documents the first record of
Genarchopsis macrocotyle Coil and Kuntz, 1960 from
India, thereby extending the known geographical
distribution of this species. Earlier, G. macrocotyle was
reported only from Pakistan, and Bangladesh, with its
original description by Coil and Kuntz (1960) from the fish
host Channa punctata and a subsequent record from
Pakistan by Saeed and Bilquees (1972). With this new
record, India is added as a confirmed locality for the
species. Prior to the present finding, six species of the
genus Genarchopsis Ozaki, 1925 were known from India,
namely G. goppo, G. avitellarium, G. cameroni, G.
paithanensis, and G. punctati. The inclusion of G.
macrocotyle increases the diversity of the genus in India
and contributes to a better understanding of its distribution
in the Indian subcontinent. The comparative analysis of key
Anindita Ghosh and Suman Das Int. J. Zool. Appl. Biosci., 11(1), 23-26, 2026
www.ijzab.com 26
morphological characters with the original description
further confirms the taxonomic identity of the present
species. This record highlights the need for continued
parasitological surveys to uncover the hidden diversity and
distribution patterns of digenetic trematodes in Indian
freshwater fishes.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Authors are greatly thankful to the Director, Zoological
Survey of India for providing all sorts of support and
necessary facilities to carry out the study.
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
The authors declare no conflict of interest
ETHICS APPROVAL
Not applicable
FUNDING
This study received no specific funding from public,
commercial, or not-for-profit funding agencies.
AI TOOL DECLARATION
The authors declares that no AI and related tools are used to
write the scientific content of this manuscript.
DATA AVAILABILITY
Data will be available on request
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