Scolex of Biuterina pentamyzos; hooks of B. pentamyzos; scolex of Triaenorhina burti; hooks of T. rectangula; Lilac-breasted roller (Coracias caudata) host of T. rectangula; pregravid proglottids of Neyraia intricata; Hoopoe (Upupa epops), host of Neyraia intricata. (Photos of paruterinids courtesy of B. Georgiev; Coracias, http://www.oiseaux.net; Upupa, http://www.geocities.com)

MORPHOLOGY: Body of medium or large in size. Scolex with 4 suckers and typically with sucker-like rostellum, or rostellum sometimes lacking. Rostellar hooks in 2 rows, rarely in 4 rows or lacking. Genital pores alternating or unilateral. One set of reproductive organs per proglottid; testes numerous, usually about 20, sometimes up to 200, rarely less than 10. Ovary compact or slightly lobed, usually median. Vitellarium compact or slightly lobed, usually near posterior margin of proglottid. Uterus sac-like or consisting of longitudinal stem and lateral branches (taenioid type). Paruterine organ present, developing adjacent to uterus and encompassing eggs when ripe.

DIVERSITY: The Paruterinidae includes 23 genera and 120 species.

PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS: Closely related to Taeniidae and Metadilepididae. It is possible the family is not monophyletic; several genera parasitizing galliform birds are sometimes classified as members of the Davaineidae.

DEFINITIVE HOSTS: Non-aquatic birds: Strigiformes, Accipitriformes, Galliformes, Passeriformes, Apodiformes, Cuculiformes, Coraciiformes, Trogoniformes.

SITE IN DEFINITIVE HOST: Small intestine.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION: Cosmopolitan.

LIFE-CYCLES: Species of Paruterina and Cladotaenia use small mammals as intermediate hosts. Members of Methroliastes and Lyruterina use insects as intermediate hosts.

Selected References:

Matevosyan, E. M. 1969. [Paruterinoidea - tapeworms of domestic and wild birds]. In: Skryabin K.I. (ed.) Osnovy Cestodologii. Vol. 7., Moscow, "Nauka", 304 pp. [in Russian.]

Georgiev, B. B. and V. V. Kornyushin. 1994. Family Paruterinidae Fuhrmann, 1907 (sensu lato). pp. 559-584. In Khalil, L. F., Jones, A., Bray, R. A. (Eds.) Keys to the cestode parasites of vertebrates. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. PDF

Taxon Coordinator:

Dr. Boyko B. Georgiev

Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
2 Gagarin Street
1113 Sofia
Bulgaria
E-MAIL: boyko_georgiev@yahoo.com