a species of pseudophyllid tapeworms of wild and feral cats, the larval form of which (sparganum) may survive in human tissues; it has been commonly found in humans in the Far East, but is also reported from widely scattered areas elsewhere; infection of humans with the sparganum occurs from active migration of the larva from freshly split infected frogs used as a poultice for wounds, sore eyes (as in ocular sparganosis), bruises, or ulcerations; it is also likely that humans may be infected with sparganum larvae from eating any vertebrate harboring these plerocercoids. SYN: Diphyllobothrium linguloides, Diphyllobothrium mansoni.