Genus Ascophrys Campillo et Deroux, 1974

The type species of the genus Ascophrys, A. rodor Campillo and Deroux, 1974 (Fig. 2 E–F) was found on the cuticle of the shrimps Palaemon serratus (Pennant, 1777) (type host) and P. vari ans Leach, 1813 from Roscoff (France, type locality). The detailed description of A. rodor life cycle (Deroux et al. 1975) and ultrastructure (Bradbury et al. 1987) were also denoted.

The complex life cycle which includes trophont, phoront and a tomite (swarmer) stages is characteristic for A. rodor (Fig. 3 H–T). It is assumed that trophonts, at attachment site, feed of the exoskeleton chitin solubilized instead of exuvial fluid like the other representatives of Pilisuctorida. During the process of metamorphosis the tomite secretes the cyst and grows adopting an elongated shape characteristic for pilisuctorid trophont. The trophont stage transforms into phoront which in turn by nonlinear palintomy originates dozens of tomites. Each tomite is flat, devoid of cytostome, with a complex adhesive organelle on one side of the cell body and three short, parallel, oblique kineties on the other side. The swarmers are released through the rupture of cyst wall to infect new hosts, causing, as extremely pathogenic symbiont, damage for its shrimp host in case of mass infection.