Taxonomic studies on Archigetes Leuckart, 1878 (Cestoda: Caryophyllaeidae)

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Abstract
Recent experimental work has indicated that species of Archigetes are capable of infecting and maturing in fishes in addition to tubificids.The genus Archigetes is re-defined on the basis of morphological and biological characters, with particular emphasis on recent life history studies. All species capable of neotenic development have been re-united in a single genus.A description of all species of Archigetes together with a key for their identification are included. New synonomies are discussed.The relationship of Archigetes to other genera of the family is briefly considered, and it is concluded that it forms the terminal stage in a series showing the attainment of neotenic development.I wish to thank Professor R. J. Pumphrey in whose Department the work was carried out, and Dr J. C. Chubb for advice and help in the preparation of this manuscript. I am also grateful to Professor K. Berg and Dr R. L. Calentine for the loan of specimens. The work was carried out during the tenure of a Nature Conservancy Research Studentship.