Family HYMENOLEPIDIDAE Ariola, 1899
Introduction
The family Hymenolepididae Ariola, 1899 is a large family of cestodes comprising 85 genera and 850 species (Czaplinski & Vaucher 1994). Most species (620) are found in birds with a smaller number (230) in mammals. The family is characterised by an armed rostellum, sometimes reduced or lost, lateral genital pores and a sacculate, sometimes reticulate, uterus. The most important feature of the family is that there are three or fewer testes per segment. An arthropod intermediate host occurs in virtually all known life cycles.
Czaplinski & Vaucher (1994) recognised four subfamilies: Diploposthinae Poche, 1926, Echinorhynchotaeniinae Mola, 1929 and Fimbriariinae Wolffhügel, 1899, as well as the very large subfamily Hymenolepidinae. All four are found in Australian birds or mammals. The cestode parasites of Australian birds have been poorly studied and so the records presented below undoubtedly underestimate the extent of the Australian fauna. In addition, with substantial changes in generic definitions, the current generic status of a number of Australian Hymenolepis sensu lato remains to be determined. The taxonomic arrangement of Czaplinski & Vaucher (1994) is followed here.
General References
Czaplinski, B. & Vaucher, C. 1994. Family Hymenolepididae Ariola, 1899. pp. 595-663 in Khalil, L.F., Jones, A. & Bray, R.A. (eds). Keys to the Cestode Parasites of Vertebrates. Wallingford, UK : Commonwealth Agriculture Bureaux International 751 pp.