NEIHPID

Rhabdias ranae (Walton Walton) Back

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Taxonomy

Nematoda »
        SECERNENTEA »
              Rhabdiasidae Railliet, 1916 »
                     Rhabdias Stiles et Hassall, 1905 »
                             Rhabdias ranae, Walton 1929

Host

Amolops (marmoratus (A. afghanus)), Euphlyctis (cyanophlyctis), Hyla (annectans), Limnonectes (limnocharis), Philautus (sp.), Polypedates (taraiensis), Polypedates (leucomystax), Rana (khare), Rana (Sp.), Rana (danielii), Rhacophorus (maximus (=R. nigropalmatus)), Rhacophorus (bipunctatus(=R. reinwardtii)), Rhacophorus (gongshanensis), Theloderma (sp.), Xenophrys (glandulosa), Xenophrys (wuliangshanensis)

Habitat

Lungs

Locality

Cherrapunjee (Meghalaya), Balphakram (Meghalaya), Dawki (Meghalaya), Mawsynram (Meghalaya), Umtyngar (Meghalaya), Smit (Meghalaya), Shillong (Meghalaya), Dimapur (Nagaland), Kohima (Nagaland), Mokokchung (Nagaland)

Description

Parasitic generation comprising of female only. Small-sized worms, 4.79-7.48 mm in length, 0.14-0.248 mm in maximum width, body slender, roughly flattened anteriorly, bluntly pointed posteriorly. Cuticle thin, with fine transverse striations. Cervical alae prominent. Mouth surrounded by six, small lips; corona radiata on lateral lips; papillae absent. Buccal cavity short, with club-shaped swelling posteriorly. Oesophagus elongated, cylindrical, entirely muscular, with pyriform posterior bulb; oesophageal, entirely muscular, with pyriform posterior bulb; oesophageal bulb without scleotized apparatus. Dark-coloured intestine opening by cuticularized rectum to anus; cervical glands one pair, opening in front of posterior end of oesophagus, extending posteriorly along intestine; rectal glands three in number. Nerve ring at anterior extremity. Ovaries two, reflexed. Vulva in posterior half of body, opening directly into  uterus; latter amphidelphic. Eggs small, elliptical, numerous, containing embryos, 0.066-0.078 x 0.033-0.050 mm. Tail conical, tapering gradually to a point; caudal alae prominent.

Remarks

Rhabdias ranae was first report from North-East India  by Diengdoh (1989) from various localities of Meghalaya and some new hosts species were also recorded .

Gupta (1960) recorded this species from Rana tigrina in the erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). In the Indian subcontinent, another species of the genus, R. escheri Baer, 1930 has been reported from a caecilian, Uraeotyphlus oxyurus.

Helminthological collections record

NEHU/Z - NA/1

Specimen Type

Holotype: W7765/1

References

Diengdoh, C.R.(1989). Helminth Parasite Spectrum of Amphibian Hosts in Meghalaya. Ph.D. thesis. North-Eastern Hill University (N.E.H.U.) Shillong. pp 129.

Gupta, S. P. (1960). Nematode parasites of vertebrates of East Pakistan. VI. Amplicaecum cacopi, Thelandros sp., Rhabdias ranae  and Oswaldocruzia melanosticti sp. nov. from frogs. Canadian Journal of Zoology.38:pp 748 - 750 .