NEIHPID

Lytocestus birmanicus (Lynsdale Lynsdale) Back

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Taxonomy

Platyhelminthes »
       CESTODA »
              Caryophyllidea »
                     Lytocestidae Wardle et McLeod, 1952 »
                            Lytocestinae Satpute et Agarwal, 1980 »
                                   Lytocestus Cohn, 1908 »
                                           Lytocestus birmanicus, Lynsdale 1956

Host

Clarias (batrachus)(L.)

Habitat

Intestine

Locality

Guwahati (Assam)

Description

Body elongated, flattened, posterior end broader than the anterior, with traces of external segmentation present, 5.28-16.36 mm long, 0.53-1.45 mm in maximum breadth at level of cirrus sac; body proper divided into an outer cortex and an inner medulla by two layers of longitudinal muscles. Scolex lanceolate, smooth and narrows to form the neck that gradually widens into the posterior part of the body. Testes numerous, 170-384 in number, medullary in disposition, spherical or oval in shape, extending a short distance from behind the anterior vitellaria to cirrus sac posteriorly; cirrus sac oval, lined by a thick muscular wall, opening slightly anterior to the utero-vaginal pore. Ovary bilobed, follicular, cortical and extends posteriorly behind the Mehlis' gland, united by a median isthmus; Mehlis' gland prominent behind ovarian isthmus; uterine coils glandular, extending up to the level of cirrus sac; vagina a straight tube, joins the uterus at the proximal part to open unitedly at the utero-vaginal pore. Vitellaria transversely elongated, cortical, arranged in an annular manner in the space between the two longitudinal muscle layers, extend as far as the utero-vaginal aperture; the vitelline follicles appear concentrated in two lateral bands on either side of the body but some are also scattered in the median field, no post-ovarian vitelline follicles present. Eggs 0.05-0.07 x 0.02-0.03 mm in size, smooth, oval in shape,

Remarks

L. birmanicus was first described by Lynsdale (1956) from the intestine of Clarias batrachus in Rangoon, Burma. The present observations are in conformity with those of Lynsdale (1956) in all sapects except for minor deviations with regard to measurements of various organs.

Helminthological collections record

NEHU/Z - CF/5

References

Lynsdale, J. A. (1956). On two n. sp. of Lytocestus from Burma and the Sudan respectively. Journal of Helminthology. 30:pp 87-96.