Kirsten Jensen

Current Research Projects:

• A survey of sharks and rays of Borneo and their metazoan parasites (see project website).
• Towards the elucidation of life-cycles of tapeworms of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) in the Gulf of Mexico (see project website).
• A survey of the elasmobranchs and their metazoan parasites of Indonesian Borneo (Kalimantan).
• Taxonomy and diversity of lecanicephalidean cestodes from around the world.

For additional information on tapeworms of sharks and rays see www.tapeworms.org

Selected Publications

• Eudy, E., Caira, J. N., and Jensen, K. 2019. A new species of Pentaloculum (Cestoda: “Tetraphyllidea”) from the Taiwan saddled carpetshark, Cirrhoscyllium formosanum (Orectolobiformes: Parascylliidae). Journal of Parasitology 105(2): 303–312. https://doi.org/10.1645/18-132 doi:10.1645/18-132
• Fernando, D., Bown, R. M. K., Tanna, A., Gobiraj, R., Ralicki, H., Jockusch, E. L., Ebert, D. A., Jensen, K., and Caira, J. N. 2019. New insights into the identities of the elasmobranch fauna of Sri Lanka. Zootaxa, 4585(2), 201–238. https://www.mapress.com/j/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4585.2.1 doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4585.2.1
• Herzog, K. S. and Jensen, K. 2018. Five new species of the tapeworm genus Anthocephalum (Rhinebothriidea: Anthocephaliidae) parasitizing a single species of Indo-Pacific stingray, and a revised diagnosis of the genus. Journal of Parasitology. doi: 10.1645/18-53.
• Caira, J. N., Jensen, K. and Fyler, C. A. 2018. A new genus of tapeworm (Cestoda: Onchoproteocephalidea) from sawfish (Elasmobranchii: Pristidae). Journal of Parasitology 104: 133–144.
• Herzog, K. S., and Jensen, K. 2017. A new genus with two new species of lecanicephalidean tapeworms (Cestoda) from the mangrove whipray, Urogymnus granulatus (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae), from the Solomon Islands and northern Australia. Folia Parasitologica 64(004): 12. doi:10.14411/fp.2017.004
• Caira, J. N., Jensen, K., and Ruhnke, T. R. 2017. "Tetraphyllidea" van Beneden, 1849 relics. In J. N. Caira and K. Jensen (eds.).  Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (2008–2017): Tapeworms from Vertebrate Bowels of the Earth. (pp. 371–400). Lawrence, KS, USA: University of Kansas, Natural History Museum, Special Publication No. 25. ISBN: 0-89338-002-4
• Caira, J. N., Jensen, K., Georgiev, B. B., Kuchta, R., Littlewood, D. T. J., Mariaux, J., Scholz, T., Tkach, V. V., & Waeschenbach, A. 2017. An overview of the tapeworms of vertebrate bowels of the earth. In J. N. Caira and K. Jensen (eds.). Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (2008–2017): Tapeworms from Vertebrate Bowels of the Earth. (pp. 1–20). Lawrence, KS, USA: University of Kansas, Natural History Museum, Special Publication No. 25. ISBN: 0-89338-002-4
• Caira, J. N., Bueno, V. M., and Jensen, K. 2017. Cathetocephalidea Schmidt & Beveridge, 1990. In J. N. Caira and K. Jensen (eds.).  Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (2008–2017): Tapeworms from Vertebrate Bowels of the Earth. (pp. 65–76). Lawrence, KS, USA: University of Kansas, Natural History Museum, Special Publication No. 25. ISBN: 0-89338-002-4
• Caira, J. N., Ivanov, V. A., Jensen, K., and Marques, F. P. L. 2017. Diphyllidea van Beneden in Carus, 1863. In J. N. Caira and K. Jensen (eds.), Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (2008–2017): Tapeworms from Vertebrate Bowels of the Earth. (pp. 149–166). Lawrence, KS, USA: University of Kansas, Natural History Museum, Special Publication No. 25. ISBN: 0-89338-002-4
• Jensen, K., Cielocha, J. J., Herzog, K. S., and Caira, J. N. 2017. Lecanicephalidea Hyman, 1951. In J. N. Caira and K. Jensen (eds.), Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (2008–2017): Tapeworms from Vertebrate Bowels of the Earth. (pp. 207–229). Lawrence, KS, USA: University of Kansas, Natural History Museum, Special Publication No. 25. ISBN: 0-89338-002-4
• Caira, J. N., Gallagher, K., and Jensen, K. 2017. Litobothriidea Dailey, 1969. In J. N. Caira and K. Jensen (eds.). Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (2008–2017): Tapeworms from Vertebrate Bowels of the Earth. (pp. 231–241). Lawrence, KS, USA: University of Kansas, Natural History Museum, Special Publication No. 25. ISBN: 0-89338-002-4
• Caira, J. N., Jensen, K., and Ivanov, V. A. 2017. Onchoproteocephalidea II Caira, Jensen, Waeschenbach, Olson & Littlewood, 2014. In J. N. Caira & K. Jensen (eds.). Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (2008–2017): Tapeworms from Vertebrate Bowels of the Earth. (pp. 279–304). Lawrence, KS, USA: University of Kansas, Natural History Museum, Special Publication No. 25. ISBN: 0-89338-002-4
• Caira, J. N., Healy, C. J., Marques, F. P. L., and Jensen, K. 2017. Three new genera of rhinebothriidean cestodes from stingrays in Southeast Asia. Folia Parasitologica 64(008): 18. doi:10.14411/fp.2017.008
• Caira, J. N. and Jensen, K. (eds.). 2017. Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (2008–2017): Tapeworms from Vertebrate Bowels of the Earth. University of Kansas, Natural History Museum, Special Publication No. 25, Lawrence, KS, 463 pp.
• Jensen, K., Caira, J. N., Cielocha, J. J., Littlewood, D. Timothy J., and Waeschenbach, A. 2016. When proglottids and scoleces conflict: phylogenetic relationships and family-level classification of the Lecanicephalidea. International Journal for Parasitology 46(5–6): 291–310.
• Caira, J. N. and K. Jensen. 2016. Helminth biodiversity research transformed by a century of evolutionary thought. In: Janovy, J. J., and Esch, G. W. (eds.).  A Century of Parasitology, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey, pp. 21–39.
• Caira, J. N. and K. Jensen. 2016. Helminth biodiversity research transformed by a century of evolutionary thought. In: Janovy, J. J., and Esch, G. W. (eds.).  A Century of Parasitology, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey, pp. 21–39.
• Caira, J. N., and Jensen, K. (2015). Insights on the identities of sharks of the Rhizoprionodon acutus (Elasmobranchii: Carcharhiniformes) species complex based on three new species of Phoreiobothrium (Cestoda: Onchoproteocephalidea). Zootaxa, 4059(2), 335–350. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26701566 doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4059.2.5
• Caira, J. N., and Jensen, K. (2014). A digest of elasmobranch tapeworms. Journal of Parasitology, 100(4), 373-391. ISSN: 0022-3395
• Jensen, K., Mojica, K. R., and Caira, J. N. (2014). A new genus and two new species of lecanicephalidean tapeworms from the striped panray, Zanobatus schoenleinii (Rhinopristiformes: Zanobatidae), off Senegal. Folia Parasitologica, 61(5), 432-440. ISSN: 0015-5683
• Caira, J. N., Jensen, K., Waeschenbach, A., and Littlewood, D. T. J. (2014). An enigmatic new tapeworm (Platyhelminthes, Cestoda) from thresher sharks. Invertebrate Systematics, 28(3), 231–243
• Cielocha, J. J., Jensen, K., and Caira, J. N. (2014). Floriparicapitus, a new genus of lecanicephalidean tapeworm (Cestoda) from sawfishes (Pristidae) and guitarfishes (Rhinobatidae) in the Indo-West Pacific. Journal of Parasitology, 100(4), 485-499. ISSN: 0022-3395
• Biserova, N. M., Kutyrev, I. A., and Jensen, K. (2014). GABA in the nervous system of the cestodes Diphyllobothrium dendriticum (Diphyllobothriidea) and Caryophyllaeus laticeps (Caryophyllidea), with comparative analysis of muscle innervation. Journal of Parasitology, 100(4), 411-421. ISSN: 0022-3395
• Caira, J. N., Jensen, K., Waeschenbach, A., Olson, P.D., and Littlewood, D. T. J. (2014). Orders out of chaos - molecular phylogenetics reveals the complexity of shark and stingray tapeworm relationships. International Journal for Parasitology, 44(1), 55-73. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020751913002725 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpara.2013.10.004 ISSN: 0020-7519
• Jensen, K., and Russell, S. L. (2014). Seussapex, a new genus of lecanicephalidean tapeworm (Platyhelminthes: Cestoda) from the stingray genus Himantura (Myliobatiformes: Myliobatidae) in the Indo-West Pacific with investigation of mode of attachment. Folia Parasitologica, 61, 231-241.
• Mojica, K. R., Jensen, K., and Caira, J. N. (2014). The ocellated eagle ray, Aetobatus ocellatus (Myliobatiformes: Myliobatidae), from Borneo and northern Australia as host of four new species of Hornellobothrium (Cestoda: Lecanicephalidea). Journal of Parasitology, 100(4), 504-515. ISSN: 0022-3395
• Cielocha, J. J., and K. Jensen. 2013. Stoibocephalum n. gen. (Cestoda: Lecanicephalidea) from the sharkray, Rhina ancylostoma Bloch & Schneider (Elasmobranchii: Rhinopristiformes), from northern Australia. Zootaxa 3626(4): 558–568.
• Mojica, K. R., K. Jensen, and J. N. Caira. 2013. Revision of Anteropora (Cestoda: Lecanicephalidean) and description of five new species from stingrays (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae) in Borneo. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 61(2): 491–506.
• Caira, J. N., F. P. L. Marques, K. Jensen, R. Kuchta, and V. Ivanov. 2013. Phylogenetic analysis and reconfiguration of genera in the cestode order Diphyllidea. International Journal for Parasitology 43(8): 621–639.
• Cielocha, J. J., A. Yoneva, M. E. Cantino, S. Daniels, and K. Jensen. 2013. Ultrastructure of the sperm of Adelobothrium sp. (Cestoda: Lecanicephalidea). Invertebrate Biology 132(4): 315-325.
• Caira, J. N., K. Jensen, A. Waeschenbach, P. D. Olson, and D. T. J. Littlewood. 2014. Orders out of chaos – molecular phylogenetics reveals the complexity of shark and stingray tapeworm relationships. International Journal for Parasitology 44(1): 55–73.
• Koch, K. R., K. Jensen, and J. N. Caira. 2012. "Three new genera and six new species of lecanicephalideans (Cestoda) from eagle rays of the genus Aetomylaeus (Myliobatiformes: Myliobatidae) from northern Australia and Borneo" Journal of Parasitology. 98(1). 175-198.
• Borucinska, J., J. J. Cielocha, and K. Jensen. 2012. "The parasite-host interface in the zonetail butterfly ray Gymnura zonura, infected with Hexacanalis folifer (Cestoda: Lecanicephalidea)" Journal of Fish Diseases.
• Naylor, G. J. P. N., J. N. Caira, K. Jensen, K. A. M. Rosana, N. Straube, and C. Lakner. 2012. "Elasmobranch phylogeny: A mitochondrial estimate based on 595 species" Biology of Sharks and Rays and Their Relatives. edited by Carrier, J. C., J. A. Musick, and M. R. Heithaus. 31-56.
• Caira, J. N., C. J. Healy, and K. Jensen. 2012. "An updated look at elasmobranchs as hosts of metazoan parasites" Biology of Sharks and Rays and Their Relatives. edited by Carrier, J. C., J. A. Musick, and M. R. Heithaus. 547-578.
• Naylor, G. J. P. N., J. N. Caira, K. Jensen, K. A. M. Rosana, W. T. White, and P. R. Last. 2012. "A DNA sequence based approached to the identification of shark and ray species and its implications for global elasmobranch diversity and parasitology" Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 367. 1-262.
• Cielocha, J. J. and K. Jensen. 2012. "Stoibocephalum n. gen. (Cestoda: Lecanicephalidea) from the sharkray, Rhina ancylostoma Bloch & Schneider (Elasmobranchii: Rhinopristiformes), from northern Australia" Zootaxa. 3626(4). 558-568.
• Marques, F. P. L., K. Jensen, and J. N. Caira. 2012. "Ahamulina n. gen. (Cestoda: Diphyllidea) from the Polkadot catshark, Scyliorhinus besnardi (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae), in Brazil" Zootaxa. 3352. 51-59.
• Cielocha, J. J. and K. Jensen. 2011. "A revision of Hexacanalis (Cestoda: Lecanicephalidea) and description of Hexacanalis folifer n. sp. from the zonetail butterfly ray, Gymnura zonura (Bleeker) (Rajiformes: Gymnuridae)" Systematic Parasitology. 79. 1-16.
• Jensen, K., P. Nikolov, and N. Caira. 2011. "A new genus and two new species of Anteroporidae (Cestoda: Lecanicephalidea) from the darkspotted numbfish, Narcine maculata (Torpediniformes: Narcinidae), off Malaysian Borneo" Folia Parasitologica. 58(2). 95-107.
• Last, P. R. et al. 2010. "Sharks and Rays of Borneo" 304.
• Olson, P. D., J. N. Caira, K. Jensen, R. M. Overstreet, H. W. Palm, and I. Beveridge. 2010. "Evolution of the trypanorhynch tapeworms: Parasite phylogeny supports independent lineages of sharks and rays" International Journal for Parasitology. 40(2). 223-242.
• White, W. T., P. R. Last, G. J. P. N. Naylor, K. Jensen, and J. N. Caira. 2010. "Clarification of Aetobatus ocellatus (Kuhl, 1823) as a valid species, and a comparison with Aetobatus narinari (Euphrasen, 1790) (Rajiformes: Myliobatidae)" Descriptions of Sharks and Rays of Borneo. edited by Last, P. R., W. T. White, and J. J. Pogonoski. 141-164.
• Jensen, K. and S. A. Bullard. 2010. "Characterization of a diversity of tetraphyllidean and rhinebothriidean cestode larval types, with comments on host associations and life-cycles" International Journal for Parasitology. 40(8). 889-910.