Anthocephalum Linton, 1891

Ruhnke, Timothy R., Caira, Janine N. & Cox, Allison, 2015, The cestode order Rhinebothriidea no longer family-less: A molecular phylogenetic investigation with erection of two new families and description of eight new species of Anthocephalum, Zootaxa 3904 (1), pp. 51-81 : 73

Anthocephalum Linton, 1891 emend

The diagnosis of the genus of Ruhnke (1994) is revised below to accommodate the eight new species described here, as well as to provide more detail on relevant structures and to conform to the standardized microthrix terminology presented by Chervy (2009).

Worms weakly craspedote, euapolytic. Scolex with four bothridia and short cephalic peduncle. Bothridia stalked, with numerous marginal loculi and single apical sucker; facial loculi lacking. Proximal surfaces of marginal loculi with acicular filitriches and scolopate spinitriches on margins or throughout; proximal non-locular surfaces of bothridia with acicular filitriches; distal bothridial surfaces with small gladiate spinitriches and acicular or capilliform filitriches. Mature proglottids longer than wide. Testes entirely pre-ovarian, medullary; postporal field of testes lacking. Genital pores lateral, in posterior half of proglottid; genital atrium present. Vagina sinuous, opening into genital atrium anterior to cirrus-sac. Ovary posterior in position, H-shaped in frontal view, tetra-lobed in cross section. Vitellarium follicular; follicles in 2 lateral bands; each band consisting of 2 or more columns of follicles, partially or completely interrupted by ovary. Uterus median, ventral, sacciform, reaching anterior margin of proglottid. Parasites of stingrays ( Myliobatiformes ).

Type species. Anthocephalum gracile Linton, 1891 . Additional species: Anthocephalum alicae Ruhnke, 1994 , Anthocephalum cairae Ruhnke, 1994 , Anthocephalum currani Ruhnke & Seaman, 2009 , Anthocephalum decrisantisorum n. sp., Anthocephalum duszynskii Ruhnke, 1994 , Anthocephalum healyae n. sp., Anthocephalum jensenae n. sp., Anthocephalum kingae ( Schmidt, 1978) Ruhnke & Seaman, 2009 , Anthocephalum lukei Ruhnke & Seaman, 2009 , Anthocephalum mattisi n. sp., Anthocephalum meadowsi n. sp., Anthocephalum michaeli Ruhnke & Seaman, 2009 , Anthocephalum odonnellae n. sp., Anthocephalum papefayei n. sp., Anthocephalum philruschi n. sp., Anthocephalum wedli Ruhnke, 2011 .