1. A new trematode Reesella doviensis n.g., n.sp., from the Oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus occidentalis, is described.

2.The validity of including P. progeneticum, P. marilae and P. varium in the genus Psilostomum is questioned and it is suggested that P. marilae be removed to the genus Psilotrema Odhner, 1913.

3.The placing of the genus Ribeiroia in the family Cathaemasiidae is also questioned, and it is suggested that it has closer affinities with the genera in the family Psilostomatidae.

The cement glands of Acanthocephalus serendibensis have been studied, using some routine histological and histochemical procedures. There are six multinucleate syncytial glands which produce a granular secretion which is a protein-mucosubstance complex, the mucosubstance component being of the neutral type. The secretion granules are seen in the body of the glands as well as in the reservoirs and ducts. The granules presumably coalesce to form the so-called cement which is discharged during copulation and seals off the genital region of the female after copulation and insemination.

The activities of selected enzymes of the respiratory chain system in Onchocerca fasciata (Filarioidea: Onchocercidae) have been investigated histochemically. Thus, the localization and distributions of NADH dehydrogenase (EC 1.6.99.3), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) (EC 1.3.99.1) and cytochrome oxidase (EC 1.9.3.1) were investigated in various tissues of the adult female worm by employing MTT, Nitro BT (dehydrogenases) and DAB (cytochrome oxidase). Different tissues varied considerably in their enzymatic activities. The hypodermis and reproductive tissues showed strong and identical localization of NADH and SDH dehydrogenase activities reflecting high metabolic rates. Little or no dehydrogenase activities were observed in the intestine and cuticle. In contrast to the two dehyrogenases, no activity was observed for cytochrome oxidase in any of the tissues in adult or embryonic stages of the worm. The significance of these results with respect to the energy metabolism of the worm is discussed. It is suggested that O. fasciata lacks a classical, mammalian-type respiratory pathway and that oxidative phosphorylation is of no importance as an energy generating pathway in this essentially anaerobic parasite.

1. A new genus of a spiruroid nematode belonging to the family Thelaziidae is described from the liver of a marine fish, Chorinemus tala from Karachi, Pakistan. The genus is based on the structure of the head, the presence of body papillae, the peculiar female reproductive system, the position of the vulva etc. This is the first record of a nematode from the liver of a fish.

2. The genus Filochona (Saidov, 1954) Yamaguti, 1961 is synonymised with Rhabdochona and the subfamily Filochoninae Yamaguti, 1961 is suppressed.

1. Haplorchis taichui H. yokogawai and Stictodora manilensis are recorded for the first time in India from dogs.

2. H. helerophyes from Indian cats are very much smaller than those recorded from dogs.

3. A technique has been described to study the chitinous armature of the gonotyl in heterophyid trematodes.

A Considerable number of specimens of this parasite were collected from the small intestine of a genette which died in the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London.

The cuticle of the cephalic extremity is dilated anteriorly. This swelling is terminated posteriorly by the cuticle incurving to meet a raised ring on the body-wall, about the level of the junction of the anterior and second fifths of the œsophagus. There are no cervical papillæ present, and it is probable that this ring may be regarded as replacing them. Just anterior to the middle of the œsophageal region and at the level of the excretory pore is a cervical groove which completely encircles the body. Laterally the cuticle on the anterior margin is thickened; it is also thickened on the ventral side, but less so than laterally. These thickenings are reinforced by a granular inclusion in the cuticle. The posterior margin is thickened only in the region of the excretory pore.

The occurrence of the chrysanthemum eelworm, Aphelenchoides ritzema-bosi (Schwartz, 1911), in an unusual situation, namely within the tissues of tomato fruits, calls for brief report since, though well known as a leaf parasite of a good number of plants, it has not, to our knowledge, been reported previously from a fruit.

Towards the end of October, one of us (S.H.B.) visited a grower who complained of having a number of tomato fruits from which the calyx tissue came away at the slightest touch. These fruits then rotted deeply towards the centre. Two such fruits were taken from the store for examination in the laboratory. One of them was attacked by the fungus Didymella Lycopersici whilst the other was found to contain eelworms. This fruit was sent by S.H.B. to T.G. with a request for a determination of the species of eelworm present and an opinion on whether it was a parasitic species or not.

On receipt of the fruit the senior author cut it in two by a cut passing along the longitudinal axis from the calyx region and through the central fleshy placenta. It was then seen that the discoloured diseased area was about ¼ in. deep by about ⅝ in. broad and occupied much of the solid fleshy base of the fruit. On teasing up a small portion of the diseased tissues in water and examining under the binocular microscope, considerable numbers of small eelworms were found together with numerous eggs and larvae in various stages of growth.

It has long been held—and rightly so—that Calabar swellings are caused in some way or other by adult Loa loa moving about in the subcutaneous tissues.

A collection of helminths from a King-Cobra, Naja hannah from Malaya is described. It consists of one species of trematode from the ureter, Styphlodora perstmilts; two species of cestodes in the intestine, namely Bothridium pithonis and Ophiotaenia kuantanensis n.sp., and three species of nematodes, Tanqua gigantica and Occipitodontus fimbriatus from the stomach, and O. edesoni n.sp. from the small intestine. With the exception of Tanqua gigantica all the above named species are new records for the King-Cobra.

The teguments of Schistosoma haematobium males from three localities in the Eastern Transvaal and one in the eastern Caprivi were studied by means of scanning electron microscopy. Eastern Transvaal S. haematobium, which occurs sympatrically with S. mattheei, a bovine schistosome also infecting man and which hybridizes with S. haematobium, exhibited certain S. mattheei characteristics. The occurrence of these characteristics were neither related to the prevalence of human S. mattheei infections nor could they be attributed exclusively to phenotypic plasticity. The variation therefore may be geographical and possibly related to the phylogeny of the two species.

In the presence of glucose and galactose, the incorporation of radioactive inorganic phosphate (32Pi) into phosphatidylcholine of Hymenolepis diminuta was significantly lowered as compared to the control, whereas other phospholipids remained unaffected. α-methyl-D-glucoside, however, significantly lowered the amount of 32Pi incorporated into phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidic acid. Mannitol did not have any effect on the incorporation of 32Pi into the phospholipids of H. diminuta. The effect of glucose and α-methylglucoside on phospholipid metabolism was both time and concentration dependent. The inorganic, organic, total and phosphatidylcholine-bound phosphate of H. diminuta in the presence of various substrates were not significantly different from the control values under all incubation conditions. The results indicate that the observations made in the presence of external glucose, galactose and α-methylglucoside were due to their physical interaction with the transport mechanism in the tegumental membrane of H. diminuta and also their being subsequently metabolized in the cases of the former two hexoses.

The possibility of safe immunization of chicks at an appropriate age with a double-dose irradiated Ascaridia galli vaccine given orally at two weeks interval was explored. Chicks immunized at 7 or 10 days of age were not affected adversely since they did not develop any clinical signs and there was no worm establishment after challenge infection. Immunization also elicited detectable circulating antibody titres, with IHA and the conglutinating complement absorption test having a tendency to be enhanced after the booster dose.

This investigation deals with the evaluation of the in ovo technique for the cultivation of trematodes. The technique has previously been used for the maturation of digenetic flukes and the establishment of life cycles in the laboratory but it was not known if the adult flukes produced were morphologically comparable to those found in their natural hosts. Three species of microphallids, Microphallus similis, M. pygmaeus and Maritrema arenaria were used. Metacercariae of each species were inoculated into fertile hen's eggs which were incubated at 41°C for 120 hours. The adult flukes recovered were stained and mounted and morphonietric measurements obtained were compared to definitive descriptions of the three microphallid species. The results showed that the in ovo technique provided adult flukes which were indistinguishable from those occurring in natural hosts.

Mastomys natalensis wcrc infected percutancously with 250 cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni and treated effectively with 5 x 50 mg amoscanatc/kg body-weight 12–16 (1), 28–32 (10,56–60 (111) and 101–105 days p.1. (IV) respectively. Levels of reaginic antibodies (RAb) and homocytotropic IgG antibodies (GAb) were assessed by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis tests (PCA) and compared with those in infected, untreated animals. In untreated animals RAb were first detected in the 6th week p.i. Maximum titres around 1:80 were reached after 100 days. High levels persisted until the end of the experiment 185 days p.i. RAb did not develop after treatment I. After treatmcnt 11 only low PCA titres occurred. After treatment 111 the time course was similar to the controls but levels were reduced. Treatment IV did not interfere with the occurrence of specific RAb.

In the case of GAb, independent of any treatment, after a first peak of PCA titres in the 5th week either a negative pattern or only very low titres were found in week 7. In untreated infected Mastomys GAb levels increased thereafter to maximum titres of about 1:80 at day 70. Later than 100 days p.i. relatively constant titres were observed. The second rise of antibody levels did not occur after early treatment. After treatment 11 only low transient titres developed. Animals treated in the early patcncy (III) showed reduced PCA titres and were negative at the end of the observation period. Treatment given 101 to 105 days pi. rather enhanced the development of GAb.

It is concluded that Bearup's cercaria, described from Pyrazus australis in Australia, is different from Cercaria variglandis; the former develops into Austrobilharzia terrigalensis and the latter into A. variglandis (Syn. M. Chapini Price, 1929; M. variglandis Stunkard and Hinchliffe, 1952).

Bearup's cercaria should be henceforth treated as that of A. terrigalensis and not as C. variglandis.

It is a rather surprising fact, that very little information is available regarding the numbers of different species of parasites normally present in apparently healthy lambs, and the frequency of occurrence of these parasites. Often all that can be said is that one species is fairly common, occurring in large numbers, while another is of infrequent occurrence, being present in comparatively small numbers. Without exact data it would be impossible for one to determine with any degree of certainty the importance of any parasite as an agent responsible for the deterioration of stock, nor would one be justified in ascribing the “low” or poor condition of a lamb to any particular worm present in its gut.

During the examination of a large number of nematodes collected by the writer in 1931 from the duodenum of a male eland (Taurotragus oryx) shot in the Nega Nega Hills, north-east of Mazabuka, three (two males and one female) specimens of a rather small species of Trichostrongylid were recovered. As the species could not be assigned to any of the known genera of bursate nematodes the new genus Minutostrongylus is founded for the reception of this species which is named Minutostrongylus taurotragi g. et sp. n.