A redescription of Crassicutis archosargi, a digenean exhibiting an unusual tegumental attachment

The homalometrine Crassicutis archosargi from the northern Gulf or Mexico is redescribed, and some related digeneans are discussed. Numerous unidentified refractile bodies occurred in the tegument and other tissues of a few specimens of C. archosargi, and an intimate relationship between the parasite and its piscine host resulting from a modified tegument is reported for others. Binding by the described adhesive tegument increases the number of known ways digeneans attach to their hosts. Several specimens also harbored a histozoic myxosporidan in several tissues and a flagellate, Hexamita sp., in their ceca.