Otobothrium penetrans (Cestoda; Trypanorhyncha) in the flesh of belonid fish from Philippine waters.

In April 1990, 488 marine fish belonging to 30 species from central Philippine waters were examined for flesh parasitic infections that may affect their consumability. One species of hemirhamphids and 3 species of belonids harboured plerocercoids of Otobothrium penetrans Linton, 1907 (Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum 33, 85-126). This is the first record of this parasite from Pacific fish species. The highest intensity of infection found was 8 in Tylosurus crocodilus. Most of the larvae were located between the dorsal spines of the vertebral column, only 32% were found in the fillets. Based on the present material we give a description of the plerocercoid stage of the species using scanning electron microscopy of the armature and morphometrical measurements. Comparison to results from earlier findings of O. penetrans by Linton (1907; 1924, Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum 64, 1-114) and to O. kurisi by Shields (1985, International Journal for Parasitology 15: 635-643) lead to the conclusion that the latter species is a synonym for O. penetrans.