The morphology of the scolices and metascolices of 29 proteocephalid species,
parasites of freshwater fishes from Brazil was compared by using scanning electron
microscope, light and laser microscopy. The following species were evaluated:
Proteocephalus vazzolerae, P. piramutab, Robertiella paranaensis, Travassiella avitellina,
Monticellia loyolai, M. spinulifera, M. belavistensis, Houssayela sudobim, Zygobothrium
megacephalum, Gibsoniela mandube, Cangatiella arandasi, Nomimoscolex sudobim, N. lopesi,
N. admonticellia, N. piraeeba, N. pirarara, Harriscolex kaparari, Crepidobothrium eirasi,
Spatulifer rugosa, Megathylacus brooksi, Choanoscolex abscisus, Amphoteromorphus
peniculus, A. piraeeba, Paramonticellia itaipuensis, Peltidocotyle rugosa, Othinoscolex lenha,
Rudolphiella rugata, R. piranabu, Jauella glandicephalus.
Some features as overall shape of scolex, suckers, apical sucker, frontal glands and
several kinds of metascolex were analyzed. The taxonomic importance of scolex and
metascolex is discussed.
