Brooks, D. R. (Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi 38677) 1978. Evolutionary history of the cestode order Protoecephalidea). Syst. Zool. 27:312–323.—Based on a framework of cladistic (genealogical) relationships, the morphological, zoo-geographical, and host relationships of the genera comprising the cestode order Proteoce-phalidea parasitic in fish, amphibians, and reptilians are examined. The new supra-specific classification scheme proposed differs only slightly from previous classifications. Zoogeo-graphically, the proteocephalideans consist of one family endemic to South America and another exhibiting intercontinental patterns of vicariance. The dispersal-tracks of the second family are consistent with those of ostariophysan fishes, primary hosts for proteocephalideans. Most proteocephalidean genera, including the most primitive and the most specialized, occur in South America. The greatest concentration of species belonging to the most primitive genus occurs in the Northern Hemisphere where the fewest proteocephalidean genera occur. Proteocephalideans are postulated to have originated in South America. In the Southern Hemisphere, all but four piscine hosts are siluriforms, while in the Northern Hemisphere a great diversification of hosts has occurred. An hypothesis of the evolution of the host-parasite relationships of non-piscine proteocephalideans is proposed to explain observed patterns of host relationships. Zoogeographical and host relationships do not contradict the phylogenetic model based on characters of adult morphology. Additional support for the hypothesis that the cestode order Cyclophyllidea is di- or polyphyletic and derived from proteocephalidean ancestors is presented.
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Daniel R. Brooks (1978) studied this question.