NEMATODE PARASITES OF BIRDS 217 



Parasitic between the tunics of the gizzard or in proventriculus 



of birds. 



Type species. — Acuaria an t hurts (Rudolphi, 1819) Railliet, Henry 

 and Sisoff, 1912. 



As used here, Acuaria sensu stricto is the equivalent of the sub- 

 genus Acuaria as defined by Railliet, Henry, and Sisoff, this sub- 

 genus being here accorded generic rank. Forms which can not be 

 definitely referred to Acuaria (sensu stricto) or to the other groups 

 regarded by Railliet, Henry, and Sisoff as subgenera, but here re- 

 garded as genera, are referred to Acuaria sensu lato (p. 212) in 

 this paper. 



The genus Acuaria has had a complicated and eventful history, 

 which has been critically discussed in detail by Stiles and Hassall 

 (1905). Their discussion need not be repeated, but may be briefly 

 summarized as follows: Bremser proposed Acuaria without a type 

 species and without naming the included species, but did name the 

 hosts in which 14 species, supposed by him to belong in this genus, 

 occurred. Of these Spiroptera antkuris Rudolphi, 1819, is regarded 

 as type of the genus Antkuris Rudolphi, 1819, by absolute tautonomy 

 and by Rudolphi's original intentions. But Antkuris is Acuaria 

 Bremser. 1811, renamed, as Rudolphi admits, and hence the type 

 species antkuris is type of Acuaria. But since Spiroptera is a 

 renaming of Acuaria and Antkuris, as Rudolphi admits, it has the 

 same type, and in default of a valid reason for the renaming falls 

 into synonomy. There are other features which complicate the case 

 somewhat, but as these details are carefully discussed by Stiles and 

 Hassall it is unnecessary to recapitulate them. Dispharagus Du- 

 jardin, 1845, is a deliberate renaming of a group of species for 

 which 2 generic names were in existence; it included the type of 

 Acuaria, and has been dropped into synonomy accordingly. 



KEY TO SPECIES OF ACUAKIA SENSU STRICTO 



1. Body with 6 cordons, the 4 submedian being double, festooned, and extending 



10/23 <d' total body length, the 2 lateral being single and simpler, and ex- 

 tending the whole body length: spicules 280 and 2." ( () M long. 



Acuaria ornata, p. 223. 



Body witb 4 cordons, submedian; spicule lengths, where known, differ 



from above 2. 



2. Male with 9 pairs of caudal papillae; female 22 mm. long. 



Acuaria depressa, p. 221. 



Male with 10 to 12 pairs of" caudal papillae, where known: if number is not 



known, female 18 mm. long (A. attenuata and .1. tenuis) 3. 



3. Male 7 mm. long, not otherwise described ; anus of female 160/u from posterior 



end; eggs said to be only l5/i long; from Hirundo, species. 



Acuaria attenuata, p. 220. 



If only male known (,l. paptilifera), is 4.7 mm. long; anus of female 22.V 



or more from posterior end. except in A. gracilis; eggs 32 to 4N,u long; 



■ • ' :n Hirundo, species _ 4. 



