NO. 2131 NEMATODE PARASITES OF RODENTS— HALL. 221 



person proposing the name is all we have on which to assign species 

 to higher taxonomic groups. 



SPIROPTERA RATTI Diesing, 1851. 



Specific diagnosis. — None. 



Host — Epimys rattus {Mus rattus). 



Location. — Urinary bladder. 



Locality. — Germany ( Berlin ) . 



This species was proposed for a nematode recorded by Gnrlt with 

 no data other than the host, location, and locality, and must be re- 

 garded as a nomen nudum. The worm may or may not have been 

 Trichosomoides crassicauda. 



SPIROPTERA QUADRIALATA MoHn, 1860a. ' 



Specific diagnosis. — Spiruridae (?) (p. 190): Head continuous 

 with body. Mouth aperture triangular and provided with papillae. 

 No lips or buccal cavity. Anterior extremity abruptly attenuate, with 

 truncate tip. Body with four broad lateral alae arranged in cruci- 

 form fashion. 



Male unknown. 



Female 8 mm. long and 200 pi. thick. Posterior extremity of body 

 gradually attenuates to form a long and very sharp cone. The anus 

 is remote from the tip of the tail. The vulva is in the posterior por- 

 tion of the body. It has two lips and bears papillae anteriorly and 

 posteriorly in the median line. 



Host. — Mus musculus. 



Location. — Stomach. 



Locality. — Brazil. 



The above description suggests that there is an error here. While 

 the site of infestation and the claim that the vulva is in the posterior 

 portion of the body would bear out the assignment of this species to 

 the genus Spiroptera, other things throw considerable doubt on this. 

 The structure of the tail and position of the anus suggest Oxyuris^ 

 and, in view of the alae, this worm is probably Oxyurls tetraptera., 

 erroneously reported from the stomach of its customary host. The 

 record as to the position of the vulva is probably due to an error in 

 observation. 



FILARIA BIFIDA Molin, 18586. 



Synonyms. — Filaria muris-scandentis of Molin, 18585 (label 

 name) ; Dicheilonema hifidnin (Molin, 1858Z>) Diesing, 18(il. 



Specific diagnosis. — Spiruridae (?) (p. 190) : Body attenuated at 

 both extremities, with a very short bifid tail tip. Mouth elliptical, 

 with two small unarmed lips. 



