A redescription of the fish blood-flukeAporocotyle simplexOdhner, 1900 (Digenea, Sanguinicolidae) with comments on its biology

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Abstract
The occurrence of A. simplex in flatfish species at the type-locality, Gullmarfjorden on the west coast of Sweden, was studied. A detailed morphological redescription and a specific diagnosis of the fluke is given. Hippoglossoides platessoides is regarded as the main host and flukes from the co-hosts Limanda limanda and Pleuronectes platessa commonly show abnormal morphological features. Morphological variations associated with host species and with size are described. The possibility that the armed, extendable snout observed in living flukes may have been retained from the cercarial stage is suggested. Ingestion of host blood cells is described and different functions of the two regions of the oesophagus in A. simplex are discussed. Pathological effects caused by dead, disintegrating flukes were observed in the gill filaments of the host. The results presented make the status of A, orientalis Yamaouti, 1934, questionable and this species is regarded as a ‘species inquirenda’. A. simplex of Zhukov (i960) is shown to be A. theragrae Ighihara, 1970. Earlier reports of A. simplex are reviewed and the geographical distribution is discussed