ORDER
Tetraphyllidea
FAMILY
Phyllobothriidae
TAXONOMY
Phyllobothrium squali Yamaguti, 1952, off Onahama, Japan.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Body 5.5–24 in (14–60 cm) long, 0.08–0.16 in (2–4 mm) wide. Scolex 0.12–0.18 in (3–4.5 mm) wide, with four foliose bothridia with folded margins. Anterior end of each bothridium provided with small sucker. Apex of the scolex provided with glandular organ. Genital pores on lateral margins of proglottides, irregularly alternating.
DISTRIBUTION
Japanese waters, Black Sea, and Irish Sea.
HABITAT
In the spiral intestine of piked dogfish, Squalus acanthias (Squaliformes, Squalidae).
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Internal parasite absorbing nutrients through the tegument.
BEHAVIOR
Nothing is known.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Hermaphroditic. The life cycle is unknown.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
