An annotated checklist of Hymenolepidid cestodes described from birds: 1983-2002

A survey of the literature covering the period from January 1983 to December 2002 revealed that 17 genera and 106 species of cestodes belonging to the family Hymenolepididae have been described from birds since the publication of Schmidt's Handbook of Tapeworm Identification (his literature search terminated in March, 1983). Although the family has been revised recently, Schmidt's monograph provides the most recent list of species within the family. This work updates the list of species reported from avian hosts and includes data on the host, and collection locality along with the dimensions of the strobila, the number and length of the rostellar hooks, where applicable, and the dimensions of the cirrus sac as reported in original descriptions.