Acanthobothrium
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Platyhelminthes
- Class: Cestoda
- Order: Onchoproteocephalidea
- Family: Onchobothriidae
- Genus: Acanthobothrium
Overview
Acanthobothrium is a genus of tapeworms within the family Onchobothriidae, order Onchoproteocephalidea (sometimes classified under Tetraphyllidea), and class Cestoda. First described in the 19th century, these flatworms are specialized parasites that inhabit the spiral intestine of elasmobranch fishes, including various species of sharks, rays, and skates across orders such as Rajiformes, Carcharhiniformes, Myliobatiformes, and Torpediniformes.[1][2][3]
Morphological identification of Acanthobothrium species relies on detailed examination of characters including total body length, the number of proglottids and testes, the size of the cirrus sac, the configuration of terminal genitalia, ovary shape, and the form of microthrices. A notable diagnostic feature used to categorize species is the presence or absence of post-ovarian testes. Phylogenetic research using 28S rDNA sequences has revealed significant interspecific variation, and studies suggest that species parasitizing the same host genus are not necessarily each other's closest relatives.[1]
Visual Description
Acanthobothrium species exhibit the characteristic elongated, segmented body (strobila) typical of cestodes. The scolex, or head, is highly specialized for attachment to the host's intestinal lining, featuring prominent bothridia and hooks. Detailed anatomical illustrations reveal the internal reproductive structures within individual proglottids, including the cirrus sac and ovary, which are essential for species-level identification.
Gallery
References
- 1 2 C. A. Fyler; Janine N. Caira; Kirsten Jensen. Five new species of Acanthobothrium (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea) from an unusual species of Himantura (Rajiformes: Dasyatidae) from northern Australia. Folia Parasitologica. 2009. https://doi.org/10.14411/fp.2009.016.
- ↑ Acanthobothrium. Global Biotic Interactions. https://www.globalbioticinteractions.org/?targetTaxon=Acanthobothrium. Accessed 2026-09-05.
- ↑ Onchobothriidae. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acanthobothrium. Accessed 2026-09-05.