title: [Description of Scalithrium n. gen. (Cestoda, Tetraphyllidea) with Scalithrium minimum (Van Beneden, 1850) n. comb., a parasite of Dasyatis pastinaca (Elasmobranchii, Dasyatidae), as type species].
abstract: Scalithrium gen. n. (Cestoda, Tetraphyllidea) is proposed with Scalithrium minimum (Van Beneden, 1850) n. comb., parasite of Dasyatis pastinaca (Elasmobranchii, Dasyatidae) as type-species. The new genus Scalithrium (Tetraphyllidea, Phyllobothriidae, Rhinebothriinae) is erected for several species previously included in the genus Rhinebothrium. These species have a scolex with four bothridia, the distal surface of which is divided by transverse septa in a single row of loculi. Scalithrium minimum (Van Beneden, 1850) n. comb. is redescribed from specimens collected from the type-host Dasyatis pastinaca in Tunisia and becomes the type-species of the new genus. After Braun (1900) Echeneibothrium variabile Van Beneden, 1850 is considered as type-species of the genus Echeneibothrium. Species of Rhinebothriinae to be transferred into the genus Scalithrium are discussed and a key is proposed for the eight species.
authors.affiliation: Station Méditerranéenne de l'Environnement Littoral, Université Montpellier II, 1, quai de la Daurade, 34200 Sète, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Neifar
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Euzet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002589:Cestoda / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification*; D002590:Cestode Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D012860:Skates, Fish / Q000469:parasitology*