Lecanicephalidea

The Lecanicephalidea are an order of tapeworms within the subclass Eucestoda. These tapeworms are primarily parasites of elasmobranchs, which are cartilaginous fish like sharks and rays.1

Their reproductive systems are similar to those of the Tetraphyllidea order, but their scolex (head) is distinct. The scolex is divided into an upper disklike or globular part and a lower collarlike part that bears four suckers. Tapeworms, in general, are elongated endoparasites that lack a digestive tract and absorb nutrients directly through their body surface. They are typically hermaphroditic, possessing both male and female reproductive organs, and their life cycles are often complex, involving intermediate hosts.12