Family SPHYRIOCEPHALIDAE Dollfus, 1930
Introduction
The family Sphyriocephalidae is characterised by the possession of paired bothridia embedded in the scolex and tentacles bearing an homeoacanthous armature (Campbell & Beveridge 1994). Adults occur in the spiral intestines of sharks, particularly those of the family Alopiidae, with the larval or plerocercus stage occurring in the body cavities of teleosts. The family is currently represented in Australia by a single collection of plerocerci (Beveridge & Campbell 1996). The definitive hosts in the Australian region remain to be determined.
General References
Beveridge, I. & Campbell, R.A. 1996. New records and descriptions of trypanorhynch cestodes from Australian fishes. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 29: 1-22
Campbell, R.A. & Beveridge, I. 1994. Order Trypanorhyncha Diesing, 1863. pp. 51-148 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.