Meggittina Lynsdale, 1953

2) Subgenus Meggittina Lynsdale, 1953

( Figs. 5 View FIGURE 5 , 6 View FIGURE 6 )

Synonym: Rajotaenia Wertheim, 1954 .

Type species: Skrjabinotaenia (Meggittina) baeri Lynsdale, 1953 .

Other species: Skrjabinotaenia (Meggittina) cricetomydis Hockley, 1961 , Skrjabinotaenia (Meggittina) gerbilli ( Wertheim, 1954) .

Remarks. Meggittina has previously been considered a valid genus ( Lynsdale 1953; Tenora et al. 1980; Quentin 1994) or a subgenus of Catenotaenia Janicki, 1904 (see Tenora 1959).

The main morphologic differences between the subgenus Meggittina and the nominotypical subgenus concern the size and shape of the strobila and the structure of the uterus. In Meggittina , the strobila consists of a few proglottids and is either transversely elongate and deeply divided or slightly longitudinally elongate with a transversely elongate gravid proglottid split along the midline. In both types of strobila, the pregravid and gravid proglottids are significantly wider than the adjacent premature and mature proglottids. In addition, the “posterior” primary branch of the uterus is more prominent than the other primary branch (or branches) and its secondary branches are short and mostly directed “posteriorly”. In the nominotypical subgenus, the secondary branches are of roughly equal length and size and directed posteriorly and postero-laterally.

The members of the subgenus Meggittina are parasites of murid ( Murinae ) and nesomyid ( Nesomyinae and Cricetomyinae ) rodents; there are no records of them in gerbils ( Gerbillinae ). They have a wide distribution in Africa, the Middle East and Madagascar ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ). A morphologically and genetically distinctive, undescribed species of the subgenus Meggittina has been reported from Desmomys harringtoni (Thomas) ( Murinae ) in Ethiopia ( Haukisalmi et al. 2018; V. Haukisalmi & A. Ribas, unpubl.).