Family DIPHYLLOBOTHRIIDAE Lühe, 1910

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Family DIPHYLLOBOTHRIIDAE Lühe, 1910

Introduction

Cestodes of the family Diphyllobothriidae are characterised by having the genital ducts opening, either together or separately, on the ventral surface of the segment, the same side as the uterine pore. Vitelline follicles are ususally scattered. Adults of this family are found in reptiles, birds and fish-eating mammals including man (Bray et al. 1994).

Of the genera known from Australia, Bothridium occurs in the intestines of pythons and varanid lizards and is represented by three species. Adults of Ligula occur in the intestines of fish-eating birds. The only reports of the parasite are based on the finding of plerocercoids in the body cavity of a galaxid fish (Pollard 1974; Morgan 2003). No museum specimens exist to confirm the record. Surprisingly, although large numbers of fish-eating birds have been examined for parasites (Mawson et al. 1986), the adult of Ligula has never been recovered in Australia. The remaining genera are primarily parasites of seals. Records include findings from seals in the Australian Antarctic Territories, as well as to pinnipeds which are permanent residents of the Australian coastline.

A single species, Diphyllobothrium latum (Linnaeus, 1758), the so-called "fish tapeworm" of man, has been reported in Australia on several occasions in the past but is not endemic (Mackerras 1958).

Spirometra erinaceieuropaei (Rudolphi, 1819) is a common parasites of dogs and cats in Australia. Plerocerci are common in amphibians and reptiles as well as feral mammals such as pigs, and represent a possible source of human infection if consumed.