NOTE this page is under construction !

Taxonomic Keys

At this point we have generated a pictorial key to the genera of tetraphyllideans, lecanicephalideans and diphyllideans using images of scoleces and/or segments captured with a digitizing camera from the compound microscope. Characters are indicated with arrows directly on these images as required throughout the key. The key, in its current form, is not completely binary. We have tried to take advantage of the computer screen to distinguish among up to five different characters. So, for example the key begins with "scolex form" and users are provided with the following 5 form options: 2 bothria, 4 bothridia, elongated laterally, anterior cushion and posterior ruffle, or 3 to 5 pseudosegments. Users move through the key using clickable buttons. Our next step is to generate keys to species that will be linked to the key to genera.