88 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



rather short. Abdomen small, rather robust, somewhat attenu- 

 ated. Egg-strings long, filamentous, of equal width or calibre 

 and equal about one-third the entire length. Color of thorax 

 when distended usually darker red than rest of body, which is 

 very pale or translucent. Egg-strings pale reddish. Total 

 length 80 mm. 



Remarks. — I have seen this species in New Jersey menhaden 

 {Brevoortia tyrannus), but have no examples from the State's 

 limits at present. It is, however, very common at times, and 

 then almost every fish one meets with is infested with at least 

 one parasite, often several or more. It is quite conspicuous, the 

 distended posterior portion of the thorax usually being depressed 

 parallel with the axis of its host and trailing along. The para- 

 sites are often found protruding most anywhere from their host's 

 body, usually somewhere along the back, often from the dorsal 

 fin, and sometimes they hang out from the region under the 

 tongue, trailing along like a barbel. The head of the parasite 

 is deeply imbedded, usually with its flexual cephalic tentacles 

 wrapped about some portion of the skeleton of its host and thus 

 well under the muscular tissue. The long anterior filamentous 

 thorax moves freely within a well-drilled aperture through the 

 fish's flesh so that usually only the distended portions and egg- 

 strings are pendant. That sometimes these apertures are either 

 distressing or serious to the host cannot be doubted, especially 

 when they occur in numbers and the parasites are numerous. 

 Then, according to the fishermen, fish will be found swimming 

 about in a weakened condition and sometimes have dozens of 

 their tormentors hanging from them. Such fish are usually 

 easily secured, though too sickly to be valued. So deeply im- 

 bedded are these creatures that it is only by careful operation 

 in cutting into their host that they may be secured intact, and 

 then the head is usually removed unimpaired only with difficulty. 

 Even small or young fish are frequently parasitized. According 

 to many fishermen, and most of them are entirely ignorant as 

 to what the lernean really is, the infested fish are sometimes said 

 to be "sheddinof their bones" ! 



