(No common name)

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.