282 THE ANIMAL PARASITES OF MAN 



A closely related species, Gn. spinigerum, Ow., lives in the stomach of 

 some species of wild cats (Felis catus, F. concolor, F, tigris} ; another species 

 (Gn. hispidiim, Fedsch.) lives in the stomach of pigs in Turkestan, but has 

 also been found by Csoker in pigs in Hungary, and by Collin in the 

 stomach of an ox (Berlin). The pariah dogs of Calcutta are also subject 

 to a species of Gnathostoma. 



(d) Fam. Filariidce. 

 Gen. 5. Filaria, O. Fr. Miiller, 1787. 



These are mostly very long, slender Nematodes, the males of which are 

 usually considerably smaller than the females. The tails of the males are 

 bent or spirally rolled, and sometimes bear little wing-like appendices. 

 The two spicules are very unlike in size and structure ; almost always there 

 are four pre-anal papillae, but the number of post-anal papillae varies. The 

 vulva is always situated at the anterior extremity. The nlariae live para- 

 sitically chiefly in the serous cavities and in the subcutaneous connective 

 tissue. 



i. Filaria medinensis, Velsch, 1674. 



Syn. : Vena medinensis, Velsch, 1674 ; Dracunculus Persarum, Kampfer, 

 1694; Gordius medinensis, Linne, 1758; Filaria dracunculus, Bremser, 1819 ; 

 Filaria cethiopica, Valenciennes., 1 ^1856 ; Dracunculus medinensis, Cobbold, 

 1864 ; Guinea worm, Medina worm. 



The females attain a length of 50 80 cm., or even more, and 

 average 0^5 1-7 mm. in diameter. They are whitish or yellowish 

 in colour. The anterior extremity is roundish. The mouth opening 

 is surrounded by two lips, behind which there are two lateral and 

 four sub-median papillae ; the posterior end terminates in a spine, 

 ventrally directed, and about i mm. in length ; the alimentary canal 

 below the oesophagus is atrophied, but not entirely obliterated ; the 

 lateral ridges are very flat. The greater part of the body is occupied 

 by the long uterus, in which a great number of young larvae are 

 always found. The ovaries probably lie at the ends of the uterus ; 

 the vulva and vagina are not known. 



According to a recent observation of R. H. Charles, the male 

 of Filaria medinensis has at last been discovered. On two 

 female filariae, which were found in a post mortem at Lahore, a 

 smaller worm, measuring about 4 cm., was found clinging to each, 

 attached by its posterior extremity to a part of the female about 

 14 cm. from the head extremity. It may be assumed that the 

 males were attached to the vulva of the females, as is the case 



