The taxonomic status of Echinococcus cruzi Brumpt and Joyeux, 1924 (Cestoda: Taeniidae) from an agouti (Rodentia: Dasyproctidae) in Brazil

Paratype material of Echinococcus cruzi Brumpt and Joyeux, 1924, described from an agouti, Dasyprocta leporina (L.), in Brazil, was compared with Echinococcus oligarthrus (Diesing, 1863), of which the larval stage occurs also in agoutis and other rodents in South America and Central America. Comparisons of the larval cestodes (metacestodes) showed that the rostellar hooks from protoscolices of the two taxa corresponded in form, and their slightly greater lengths in E. cruzi were considered to be of no taxonomic significance. They agreed as well in other morphological characteristics. Echinococcus cruzi was compared also with the other neotropical species, E. vogeli Rausch and Bernstein, 1972, Based on these comparisons and in agreement with the earlier conclusion of Cameron (1926), E. cruzi Brumpt and Joyeux, 1924 is placed in synonymy with E. oligarthrus (Diesing, 1863).