A Key to the Species of Tapeworms in Hymenolepis

Abstract

In a previous paper (Hughes 1940) the writer presented a review of the genus Hymenolepis Weinland 1858 which included mainly (1) an alphabetical list of 320 recognized-as-valid specific and subspecific names2 with accounts for the several forms comprising synonymy, general classification of known definitive and intermediate hosts, general known geographic distribution, and citations to important studies; (2) a cataloguized account of specific names, which have appeared in combination with Hymenolepis but which are held to be nonvalid in that genus, comprising lapsus in spelling, true synonyms of valid names, and names of species now located in other genera; (3) a host catalogue; and (4) an extensive bibliography of comparatively recent articles dealing with the genus. The genus Hymenolepis is unquestionably important and its species are invariably met with in any sizable collection of avian or mammalian cestodes. There is no single at-all-comprehensive treatise on the classification of Hymenolepis species although there are occasional keys (for citations see Hughes 1940) to the species in certain types of hosts or in certain geographic