NEIHPID

Trichuris globulosa (Ransom Ransom) Linstow 1901 Back

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Taxonomy

Nematoda »
       ADENOPHOREA »
               Trichuridae (Ransom, 1911) Railliet, 1915 »
                      Trichurinae Ransom »
                             Trichuris Raederer, 1761 »
                                    Trichuris globulosa (Linstow 1901), Ransom 1911

Synonyms

(Trichocephalus globulosus Linstow, 1901)

Host

Capra (hircus), Ovis (aries)

Habitat

Caecum

Locality

Nongstoin (Meghalaya), Shillong (Meghalaya), Jowai (Meghalaya)

Description

General

Body with slender anterior oesophageal portion constituting about two-thirds to three-quarters of its length, markedly thickened short posterior portion containing reproductive organs. Mouth simple, without definite lips. Cuticle slightly inflated to give tiny  vesicle - like structures one on either side of head. Ventral longitudinal bacillary band present in oesophageal region, composed of numerous unicellular sub-cuticular glands with rod-like processes projecting cuticle.

Male

Body 58.0-72.0 mm in length, 0.68-0.86 mm in width in the posterior one-fourth  part. Proximal end pointed, hind end spirally coiled, bearing single expanded spicule. Latter with broad proximal end, spicule sheath when fully everted bearing globular expansion at distal end, whole sheath covered with closely set spines; latter on distal expansion longer than these on remaining portion. Cloacal wall thick, muscular anterior to point of entry of spicule, thinner posterior to it. 

Female

Body 60.0-78.0 mm in length, 0.63-1.0 mm in posterior stout part. Posterior extremity bluntly rounded. Anus terminal. Vulva prominent, lying at junction of anterior slender and posterior stout portions. Vagina relatively short, stout, muscular; lumen of its distal portion lined with large spines, thrown into 4 sharp angular bands; portion of vagina immediately behind this region forming ventrally concave narrow duct which extends suddenly into large eggs reservoir with folded cuticular lining. Eggs with thick brown cells, barrel shaped, with transparent plug at either pole, 0.059-0.069 x 0.027-0.036 mm.

Remarks

T. globulosa originally described from dromedary, has been reported from cattle, sheep, goats and in European elk. According to Baylis (1939) specimens named Trichocephalus alcocki by Linstow (1906) from a thameng (Cervus eldi) in the Zoological Gardens, Calcutta, belonged partly to this species.

In the present observation the cuticle near the head end was found to be slightly inflated -a feature mentioned by Baylis (1939).

Helminthological collections record

NEHU/Z - NM/16

References

Baylis, H. A. (1939) The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma. Nematoda Vol. II (Filarioidea, Dioctophymoidea and Trichinelloidea). Originally published by Taylor and Francis, London (reprinted edition: Today

Linstow, O. von. (1906) Helminthes from the collection of the Colombo Museum, Spolia Zeylanica. 3: pp 163-188.