Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 November 2009
Le Roux (1930) erected the genus Ashworthius for nematodes, from Tragelaphus scriptus sylvaticus—the bushbuck, which closely resembled Haemonchus but which had a symmetrically placed dorsal lobe of the bursa and apparently lacked a gubernaculum. The four species of Ashworthius, so far discovered, are described as lacking a gubernaculum, but numerous specimens from Syncerus caffer caffer received by the author, and identified as A. lerouxi Diaouré, have a distinct gubernaculum. Paratype specimens of A. lerouxi and specimens of most of the other species were examined to determine if the gubernaculum is in fact absent. As a result of this study the genus is reviewed to correct errors in some of the published descriptions and to provide new information where possible.