Saccosporidae are parasites of fish and freshwater
bryozoans.
Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, the only representative of the group whose life cycle is well studied, causes proliferative disease of the kidneys in
salmonids. Two stages of the life cycles of the two species in the genus
Buddenbrockia are known. One of them is a saccular stage, similar to
Tetracapsuloides. During the second stage the animals are mobile and superficially resemble minute
worms.
Buddenbrockia allmani parasitizes
Lophopus crystallinus, while
Buddenbrockia plumatellae parasitizes, in particular,
Plumatella fungosa. == References ==