Gyrodactyl ( lat. Gyrodactylus ) is a genus of parasitic flatworms from the class of monogenetic flukes (Monogenea) , order , family .
One of the representatives of this genus is Gyrodactylus elegans , a flat worm 0.5 mm long. Parasitizes on the skin, fins, gills of many freshwater fish ; especially young fish suffer from it. Viviparous, with only one embryo developing inside the worm. This embryo does not have time to complete its development and go outside, as a new embryo, in turn, develops inside it, etc .; Thus, in the newly born young gyrodactyl there are already embryos of several subsequent generations. Sometimes it causes noticeable harm to fish pond farming.