PARASITIC WORMS LEIPER AND ATKINSON. -'9 



KAM. M<IL\i:ill>AE. 



t 'riixxii'iiinlii, Lei p. iiml Atk. 



*;,;,n,l,,. Lcij,cr and Atkinson. Prtu: Zi,] . S<:, 1'Jll, j>. UL'il. Genotype, Film in 

 crassicauda, 



iiilii crassicauda (<Yepl.). 



I-'ilnriii crassicauda, Crepliji, isi".i. 



A number of portions of long white /'/////'/-like worms were collected l>v 

 Mr. Lillie from the renal tubules and from the stomach (wall?) of the Humpback 

 Whale (Megapti'i'it}. No complete specimen was recovered ; the portions, in some cases 

 extending to Ml inches in length, belonged to hotli males and females. 



There was upon hotli male and female portions a curious liullious dilatation, which 

 appears to have served as a " holdfast," since the worms are almost all severed in the 

 neighbourhood of one of these swellings. The largest worm is the posterior part of 

 a female. This portion measures 45 cm. in length and is torn across at a holdfast. 

 The males are similarlv liroken. and are likewise entirely posterior parts. 



The cuticle is transversely striated, Uit these striae differ very markedly in 

 various parts of the worm. At some places they appear more like rugae than striae. 

 luit in others the cuticnlar markings are typically striae. 



The longest male portion is 28 cm. long, and has a transverse measurement of 

 -". mm. The posterior end is helicoid in all specimens. The tail tapers in the last half- 

 turn to a blunt tip. There are well-formed nipple-like papillae arranged in paired 

 series and numbering on either side eight. 



In no case have we been able to discover any sign of a spicule. In view of the 

 perfect transparencv of some of the cleared specimens it must lie concluded that in this 

 species the spiciiles are absent. 



The female also has a very peculiar feature iu the arrangement of the genitalia. 

 The genital aperture lies just in front of the posterior end of the worm. The vagina is 

 reduced in little more than the site of fusion of the two long uteri, measuring only 

 0'4,"> mm. The worm is oviparous. The ovum measures 0'05 X 0'04mm., has a 

 thick chilmons wall, and contains a coiled embryo. 



The alimentary canal discharges into a depression formed l>v the puckering of the 

 posterior end of the worm. Alioiit ''> mm. in front of the tip of the tail the liodv is 

 constricted. This constriction is figured l>v < Yeplin and nsuallv appears just behind the 

 vul\ ar opciiiii'j. 



'1 lie uteri bave a transverse diameter of ()_!'.) mm., extending forwards from the 

 \nl\a withoul kink or coil lor some distance into the hod v of t he worm. 



In spite ill some difference in the numher of papillae in the male, and certain other 

 minor features, we regard these specimens as of ihesame species as that described in 

 I MJ'.i liy ( 'replin from a Northern l!or<jual. It should lie pointed out. however, that the 



G 'I 



