508 ALLAN HANCOCK PACIFIC EXPEDITIONS VOL. 2 



Scatophagus argus, from India. In males of the type material, the cement 

 glands were described as "very long, individual glands not recognizable." 

 The writer was then of the impression that these glands are syncytial, 

 as in the Neoechinorhynchidae, but the lack of giant nuclei in the 

 subcuticula and the presence of a double-walled proboscis receptacle gave 

 conclusive evidence that Filisoma cannot be considered as belonging to 

 the order Eoacanthocephala. Meyer (1933) without further evidence 

 than that presented in the description of the type species ascribed Filisoma 

 to the family Rhadinorhynchidae. A preliminary examination of mate- 

 rials in the collections of the Hancock Pacific Expedition revealed worms 

 of an undescribed species which obviously belongs to the genus Filisoma. 

 In the males of these specimens, 4 elongate cement glands characteristic 

 of the family Gorgorhynchidae (Palaeacanthocephala) are observable. 

 The cement glands have numerous relatively large nuclei such as are 

 found in the genus Gorgorhynchus, but these are much more numerous 

 and much smaller than the giant nuclei characteristic of the cement 

 glands and subcuticula of the Eoacanthocephala. On the basis of the fore- 

 going observations upon this previously unknown species. Van Cleave 

 and Lincicome (in press) have assigned the genus Filisoma to the family 

 Gorgorhynchidae within the order Palaeacanthocephala. 



Recently, Harada (1938) has described another species which he 

 ascribed to Filisoma as F. microcanthi, but, since males were lacking in 

 his material, he could not offer additional evidence for the assignment 

 of the genus beyond that given in the original incomplete description of 

 F. indicum. 



Generic diagnosis. Gorgorhynchidae parasitic in marine fishes. Body 

 very long, slender, approximately cylindrical in preserved specimens, 

 without body spination. Proboscis very long, cylindrical, arcuate. Pro- 

 boscis receptacle veiy long, double walled, with brain at its base. Retin- 

 acula at posterior tip of receptacle. Lemnisci about the same length as the 

 receptacle. Male genitalia widely separated from the receptacle of the 

 proboscis. Testes several times as long as wide, followed by four extremely 

 long cement glands. 



Type species. Filisoma indicum Van Cleave, 1928. 



Filisoma bucerium, new species 

 (Plate 53, figs. 10-14) 



Host: Kyphosus elegans (Peters), Socorro Island, Mexico, Janu- 

 ary 3, 1934. 



