Intraspecific variability of Proteocephalus exiguus La Rue, 1911 (Cestoda: Proteocephalidae) as studied by the random amplified polymorphic DNA method.

The intraspecific variability of Proteocephalus exiguus, a common fish cestode, was studied by the random amplified polymorphic DNA method. Isolates from four distant localities and four host species were investigated using eight arbitrary decamer oligonucleotides as primers. A relatively high variation of RAPD fingerprints from individual strobila was detected. The constant fragments observed in all isolates detected by eight primers characterized the species studied.