420 



PARASITISM AND DISEASE IN RUFFED GROUSE 



Proventricular or Stomach Worm (Dispharynx spiralis) 



Distribution. This parasite occurs in ruffed grouse in New York, New England, Wisconsin 

 and Michigan; in Hungarian partridge in New York, Wisconsin and Michigan: in quail in 

 New York and New Jersey; in turkeys in Maryland; in chickens in Louisiana; in pigeons in 

 Texas; and in guinea fowl in Porto Rico. It has also heeii found in sharp-tail grouse and in 

 certain |)asserine birds, namely the rohin and cat-hird in New Jersey, house sparrow in the 

 District of Columbia and the Carolina wren. 



Infection with the stomach worm was found to be extremely rare in the Adirondack region 

 of New York (figure 32). The few cases that were observed were on the periphery of the region 

 although sow bugs, intermediate hosts for these worms, are known to be present in the interior. 



FIGURE 32. DISTRIBUTION OF TOWNSHIPS FROM WHICH CROISE HARBORING THE STOMACH 

 WORM I Dispharynx) HAVE BEEN COLLECTED 



Its absence from Minnesota" and Ontario"; its rarity in Michigan'" (one case in 388 autop- 

 sies) and northern New York, as well as the scarcity of records of its occurrence in northern 

 New England."'' '"'• " seem to suggest that its disti il>utii>M does not extend into the coniferous 

 forest regions or so-called Canadian Zone. The reasons for this are not known. 



Descrijilion. The sloniacb worm. Displiarynx sjiiralis. is a short, fairly thick, white, coiled 

 nematode (roundworm) that is found deeply imbedded in the lining of the proyentriculus 

 (saccular or glandular stomach). The males are about \'\ inch, the females about % inch in 

 length. 



/-;/(• Cyrlr anil Dissemination. The life cycle of this worm was worked out by Cram'". It 

 was found that two species of land crustaceans, the common sow bugs or pill bugs, Porcellio 



