NEIHPID

Heterakis spumosa ( Schneider Schneider) Back

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Taxonomy

Nematoda »
        SECERNENTEA »
              Heterakidae Railliet et Henry, 1912 »
                     Heterakinae Railliet et Henry, 1912 »
                            Heterakis Dujardin, 1845 »
                                    Heterakis spumosa, Schneider 1866

Host

Bandicota (bengalensis), Berylmys (mackenziei), Ratus (nitidus), Ratus (ratus)

Habitat

Intestine, Intestinal caecum

Locality

Samtlang (Mizoram), Aizawl (Mizoram), Darlawn (Mizoram), Sawleng (Mizoram), Hlimen (Mizoram), Bilkhawthlir (Mizoram)

Description

Lateral alae extending in male to pre anal sucker, female to tip of tail; alae comparatively wide in cervical region but becoming narrow at about posterior end of oesophagus.

Female: Vulva behind middle of body, prominent lips, each of which bears papillae; eggs with mammiliated shells; tail long, tapering

Male: Caudal alae wide anteriorly, diminish in width at about middle of tail; ten pairs of caudal papillae, paracloacal group five pairs-three lateral, two subventral; of lateral papillae, the anterior on each side is very large, with stout granular base, the next is smaller with thickened base, while posterior is long but comparatively slender; posterior group situated on more slender portion of tail, consists of three pairs, of which the anterior papilla most slender and middle papilla stoutest; spicules sub equal, flattened, gradually tapering, longitudinally striated.

Remarks

H. spumosa is a cosmopolitan parasite, commonly reported from the caecum of rats worldwide. In India this specieshas been reported from Rattus norvegicus from Behrampore, West Bengal. Niphadkar (1977) reported it from B. bengalensis, R. rattus and R. norvegicus from two localities of Bombay and Balachandra and Ranade (1978), from R. rattus and B. indica from Poona city. 

The present study gives the first report of the occurrence of the H. spumosa from Mizoram Northeast India and R. nitidus, B. mackenziei are its new host records.

Helminthological collections record

NEHU/Z -NM (Rat)4

References

Niphadkar SM. 1977. Ecological studies of helminths of three species of rats in Bombay in relation to veterinary and public health.1.Incidence. Abstract of the 1st National Congress of Parasitology Baroda. 24-26 February: 45-46.

Balachandra DV and Ranade DR. 1978 A preliminary survey of helminth parasites of rats from Poona City. Indian Veterinary Journal. 55: 175-176.