281] PROTEOCEPHALIDAE—LA RUE 281 



DISTRIBUTION OF PROTEOCEPHALIDAE 



The data upon which this section is based are meager yet it has 

 seemed desirable to work over the available records to find out if there 

 be any principles governing the distribution of the group, to find out 

 the relation of the parasite to the primary hosts and perhaps to the 

 secondary hosts. This section falls naturally into two parts: A, con- 

 cerning the Proteocephalids infesting the amphibians and reptiles, and 

 B, concerning those species which infest fish. The data under the first 

 heading are grouped into certain tables and a discussion of the contents 

 of the tables. The data bearing on the second heading, i. e., on the fish 

 Proteocephalids are grouped under the following rubrics: List of ces- 

 tode species with hosts and locality of finding; Distribution according 

 to continents; Host species harboring two or more Proteocephalid spe- 

 cies, with the distribution of the latter; Proteocephalids found in more 

 than one host species, a discussion of each case including notes on the 

 distribution and food habits of the hosts; Families of fish from which 

 Proeocephalids are known and the species of the latter. 



Distribution op Proteocephalids of Amphibia and Reptilia 



Amphibian Proteocephalids are known from but two continents, 

 North America and Australia. These species are Ophiotaenia filaroides 

 and 0. lonnhergii for North America and 0. hylae for Australia. The 

 North American species are from the Caudata while the Australian 

 species is from one of the Salientia. Reptilian Proteocephalids are 

 known from all the continents. In North America are found Ophiotae- 

 nia marenzelleri, 0. grandis, 0. perspicua, and 0. lactea sp. inq. In 

 South America are found 0. calmettei, 0. racemosa, and Crepidoboth- 

 rium gerrardii. In Europe a single species is known, namely 0. nat- 

 tereri. Africa, likewise, has yielded but a single species, 0. punica. 

 Asia including the tropical islands usually included in the Oriental 

 region has three species, Acanthotaenia shipleyi, Ophiotaenia pigmen- 

 tata, and 0. trimeresuri. In Australia, i. e., in the Australian region 

 which includes new Guinea, there are no species of Ophiotaenia from 

 reptiles but there are four species of Acanthotaenia from reptiles, viz. 

 A biroi, A. saccifera, A. tidswelU, and A. gallardi. 



To sum up this data there are species of Ophiotaenia from each 

 continent, species of Acanthotaenia from two continents, Asia and Aus- 

 tralia, and one species of Crepidobothrium from South America. As 



