Article contents
A new species of Neoascaris from Rattus assimilis, with a redefinition of the genus
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 April 2009
Extract
Neoascaris mackerrasae from the small intestine of the Australian allied rat (Rattus assimilis) is described. It is compared with Neoascaris vitulorum and found to differ as follows:
(1) It is a considerably smaller species.
(2) The vulva is situated more posteriorly.
(3) The nucleus of the dorsal oesophageal gland is oval and situated in the dorsal sector of the ventriculus, whereas in N. vitulorum it is elongate and is situated in the sub ventral sectors.
(4) The eggs are more coarsely pitted.
(5) The spicules have two flanges which form a gutter on the ventral surface, whereas in N. vitulorum they are almost cylindrical.
The genus Neoascaris is redefined so as to include the presence of rudimentary cervical alae and the unequal distribution of the oesophageal glands. The genus is placed in the family Toxocaridae Hartwich, 1954.
Other ascaridoid parasites occurring in rodents are listed and differentiated from N. mackerrasae. It is suggested that on account of the arrangement in the ventriculus of the nuclei of the oesophageal glands, N. mackerrasae may represent a primitive species among the ascaridoid parasites of mammals.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1957
References
- 8
- Cited by