Species Schyzocotyle acheilognathi (Yamaguti, 1934)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Bothriocephalus acheilognathi Yamaguti, S. 1934. Studies on the helminth fauna of Japan. Part 4. Cestodes of fishes. Japanese Journal of Zoology 6: 1-112.

  Type data:

   Holotype MEGPM, Japan.

  Type host:

   [CYPRINIDAE]

Generic Combinations

• Schyzocotyle acheilognathi (Yamaguti, 1934). —
  Brabec, J., Waeschenbach, A., Scholz, T., Littlewood, D.T.J. & Kuchta, R. 2015. Molecular phylogeny of the Bothriocephalidea (Cestoda): molecular data challenge morphological classification. International Journal for Parasitology 45: 761-771 [769]

Introduction

The intestinal cestode parasite Schyzocotyle acheilognathi (Yamaguti, 1934), is native to freshwater fishes of East Asia, but was imported to Europe and North America in grass carp. It has a broad host range due to its worldwide introductions, being recorded in 312 fish species across 14 orders. In 2022 distribution information expanded to include south Western Australia where it threatens native endemic fish.

Distribution

States

Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Introduced from East Asia.

Ecological Descriptors

Adult: endoparasitic (host(s): Gambusia holbrooki Girard, 1859 [POECILIIDAE] Eastern Gambusia; Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758 [CYPRINIDAE] European Carp; Hypseleotris klunzingeri (Ogilby, 1898) [ELEOTRIDAE] Western Carp Gudgeon).

General References

Dove, A.D.M., Cribb, T.H., Mechler, S.M. & Lintermans, M. 1997. The Asian fish tapeworm, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi, in Australiah freshwater fishes. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 48: 181-183 (Australian record)

Palermo, C.J., Morgan, D.L., Beatty, S.J., Elliot, A. & Greay, T.L. 2021. The Asian fish tapeworm (Schyzocotyle acheilognathi) discovered in Western Australia may pose a threat to the health of endemic native fishes. Journal of Helminthology (95): 1–8

History of changes