A family of microscopic parasitic flatworms that infect fish, characterized by a disc-shaped attachment organ with curved claws.
From gyro- (Greek 'circle') and dactylus (Greek 'finger' or 'claw'), with the family suffix -idae. Named for their distinctive spinning or rotating attachment discs.
Gyrodactylids are fish parasites with a spinning sucker disc and claws—they're essentially tiny aquatic vampires that can reproduce so fast they've caused massive fish farm collapses!
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