Last Updated: June 10, 2026

MORPHOLOGY: Scolex with 4 simple suckers, without rostellum or apical organ. Body generally small and cylindrical in form, with indistinct segmentation of immature and mature proglottids. Each proglottid with single set of male and female reproductive organs. Genital pores lateral, irregularly alternating. Testes 2 in number, medullary. Ovary and vitellarium compact, medullary. Paruterine organs develop at periphery of uterus; paruterine organs transform into paruterine capsules in gravid proglottids (2 or more in each proglottid).

DIVERSITY: Four genera and about 30 species.

PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS: This appears to be one of the basal families of cyclophyllidean tapeworms.

DEFINITIVE HOSTS: Amphibians and reptiles.

SITE IN DEFINITIVE HOST: Intestine.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION: In tropical and temperate latitudes throughout the world.

LIFE-CYCLES: Completely unknown.

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Selected References:

Jones, M. K. 1987. A taxonomic revision of the Nematotaeniidae Lühe, 1910 (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea). Systematic Parasitology 10: 165-245. PDF

Jones, M. K. 1994. Family Nematotaeniidae Luehe, 1910. pp. 376-379. In Khalil, L. F., Jones, A., Bray, R. A. (Eds.) Keys of the cestode parasites of vertebrates. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. PDF

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Taxon Coordinator: