Polypodium (animal)
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Polypodium |
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Polypodium hydriforme (Ussov, 1885) |
Polypodium is a genus of parasitic cnidarians; the only genus in family Polypodiidae. Polypodium hydriforme is a parasite of the eggs of sturgeon and similar fishes (Acipenseridae and Polyodontidae). It is one of few cnidarians living inside the cells of other animals.
The taxonomic position of Polypodium is unclear; it was formerly classified as Narcomedusae, but is now treated as its own class of cnidarians. Based on DNA analysis, a relationship with Myxozoa has been proposed, but this is controversial.