Small to medium in size; Scolex with apical sucker, lacking bothria and bothria, consisting of 3 to 5 muscular pseudosegments, a subset of which are cruciform. Posterior margins of pseudosegments often bearing enlarged spines (or perhaps microtriches). Proglottids euapolytic and hermaphroditic. Genital pores lateral. Multiple testes present. Vagina opening anterior to cirrus-sac. Ovary posterior and bilobed in cross section. Vitellaria follicular and circumcortical. Uterus tubular to sacciform; lacking pre-formed uterine pore.
Eight species are currently recognized in a single genus (Litobothrium) in the family Litobothriidae.
The order is almost certainly monophyletic. It is likely basal to a number of the other cestode orders parasitizing elasmobranchs, including the Cathetocephalidea, Tetraphyllidea, Lecanicephalidea.
Lamniform sharks.
Spiral intestine.
Tropical and subtropical waters, specifically the Eastern Pacific Ocean off California, Mexico and the Gulf of California, the Western Pacific Ocean off Taiwan, the east coast of Australia, and Northern Borneo.
Completely unknown.
Selected References:
Dailey, M. D. 1969. Litobothrium alopias and L. coniformis, two new cestodes representing a new order from elasmobranch fishes. Proceeding of the Helminthological Society of Washington 36: 218-224. PDF
Dailey, M. D. 1971. Litobothrium gracile sp. n. (Eucestoda: Litobothidea) from the sand shark (Odontaspis ferox). Journal of Parasitology 57: 94-96. PDF
Olson, P. D. and J. N. Caira. 2001. Two new species of Litobothrium Dailey, 1969 (Cestoda: Litobothriidea) from thresher sharks in the Gulf of California, Mexico, with redescriptions of two species in the genus. Systematic Parasitology 48: 159-177. PDF
Taxon Coordinator:
Dr. Janine N. Caira
University of Connecticut
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
75 N. Eagleville Rd., Unit 3043
Storrs CT 06269-3043
U.S.A.
E-MAIL: janine.caira@uconn.edu
