28 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES 



PARASITES OF VALENCIAN FISHES 



The following list gives the names of all parasites identified 

 and also mentions a few of uncertain relationships. The 

 latter are necessarily included in the statistical comparisons. 

 The Acanthocephala have already been described by Dr. H. J. 

 Van Cleave and the nematodes are to be worked up by Dr. N. A. 

 Cobb. Drs. M. J. Rathbun and B. H. Ransom read the 

 portions of the manuscript relating to the new species of 

 parasites and made many helpful suggestions. 



BACTERIA 



The liver of a sardina, Astyanax bimaculatus (L.), collected 

 in Lake Valencia near Maracay, July 22, 1918 was one mass of 

 cysts. It was sent to Professor H. S. Davis who said: 



"The cysts from sardina 116 are very interesting. I have 

 been unable to find any trace of Sporozoa but sections show 

 the presence of exceptionally large rod-shaped bacteria which 

 are probably the cause of the cysts. It is apparently an 

 undescribed disease." 



Cysts, probably caused by the same organisms, were found 

 on the stomach of a gaubina, Hoplias malabaricus Bloch, 

 caught by the Isla del Buro, July 11. 



TREMATODA 

 Genus Parspina, new 



Body broad, flat; with twenty spines of equal size sym- 

 metrically arranged about the mouth. Uterus long, coiled 

 in anterior end of posterior half of body; testes on either side 

 at posterior third of body, elongate, slightly lobate; ovary 

 spherical, anterior to uterus near median line; vitelline glands 

 on either side of body, anterior to uterus. Intestinal rami 

 smooth, extending from posterior end of anterior quarter to 

 beginning of posterior seventh of body; oral sucker deep but 

 mouth small; a slender prepharynx present; pharynx spherical. 



