NO. 213L 



NEMATODE PARASITES? OF RODENTS— HALL. 



181 



Fig. 238.— Fil.vria martis. Pos- 

 terior EXTREMITY OF MALE. 

 X 93. After Schneider, 18GG. 



Male 73 mm. long. The posterior extremity is curled in a spiral 

 and provided with broad cuticular alae, which meet terminally at the 

 posterior extremity (fig. 238). There are nine pairs of filiform 

 caudal papillae, of which three pairs are pre- 

 anal and six pai rs are postanal. The first and 

 second pairs and the third and fourth pairs 

 are close together; the fifth and sixth pairs 

 are near the median line. The spicules are 

 miequal, the larger in the form of a tube, 

 provided with broad, transversely striated 

 lamellae, and the shorter conical. 



Female 190 mm. long. The posterior ex- 

 tremit}' is acuminate, somewhat curved ven- 

 trad. The anus is terminal or subterminal. 

 The vulva is very close to the mouth, almost 

 terminal. Probably ovo viviparous. Eggs 

 very numerous, small, elliptical, with very 

 thick shells, and covered with very minute 

 granulations (fig. 239). [This worm is vivi- 

 parous, according to Molin, and ovovi- 

 viparous, according to Alessandrini. It 

 appears, then, that the worm produces eggs containing embryos and 

 gives birth to these embryos after their escape from the egg. It is, 

 therefore, ovoviviparous in the true sense of the word.] 

 Host. — Hystrix cristata. Usually in carnivores. 

 Location. — Subcutaneous. 



Localities. — Italy, Austria, Eritrea (Africa), and 

 % Brazil. 



Some authors state that there are four papillae on 

 the head, but Schneider (186G) has figured six for this 

 form which he describes under the name Filaria quad- 

 rispina. It seems unlikely that an ovoviviparous form 

 should have a thick-shelled egg, and one may sur- 

 mise that possibly Stossich mistook a space between 

 a vitelline membrane and a shell for a thick shell. 

 There is some reason for thinldng that Filaria subcutanea von 

 Linstow, 1899, is a synonym of F. miirtis. ITov\^ever, since von 

 Linstow has figured a form with 12 or 13 pairs of caudal papillae, 

 instead of 9 as given for F. mm^tis, it is perhaps better to retain the 

 present status, especially as von Linstow's specific name is a homonym 

 of Filaria subcutanea Parona, 1891, and Avill have to be changed if 

 distinct. It seems better not to change it with the existing uncer- 

 tainty, and it will fall without the necessity for a change if it is 

 identical with F. martis. As the type-species of the genus Filaria., 

 F. martis has been discussed by Stiles (1907). 



Fig. 239.— Filaria 

 MARTIS. Egg. 

 Enlarged. Af- 

 ter Stossich, 

 1896. 



