PARASITIC ROUNDWORMS 



533 



68 (56) Meromyaria. Small transparent forms. . . : 69 



For discussion of term Meromyaria see page 515. 



Lips simple, inconspicuous. Vulva anterior. Caudal end of female distinctly elongate. 

 Separated from Ascarids by some authors. 



69 (70) Without esophageal or intestinal cecum. 



Family OXYURIDAE Cobbold 1864. 



The few North American records cannot be safely assigned on the basis of the present dis- 

 tinction between this family and the next. Consequently they are left where they were placed 

 originally. 



Among lorms recorded from North America which cannot be placed at present owing to 

 imperfect knowledge of their structure are: 



Oxyuris dubia Leidy 1856 reported from Bufo americanus and Salamandra rtibra. Male 

 unknown. 



North American genus. . 



Spironoura Leidy 1856. 



Mouth surrounded by circular, papillated lip. Tail of male spiral, acute, tuberculate. 

 Spicules two, curved, ensiform, costate. Tail of female conical, acute. Vulva at posterior 

 third. 



Type species. Spironoura gracile Leidy 1856. 



Female 16 by 0.25 mm.; male 8 by 0.25 mm. with two rows of three papillae on tail. Found 

 in stomach of Emys serrata and Siredon mexicanus. 



Also recorded. 



Spironoura affine Leidy 1858. 



Female 9 by 0.4 mm.; male 6 by 0.3 mm., with two papillae on each side of tail near end. 

 Found in cecum of Cistudo Carolina. 



70 (69) With cecum on esophagus or intestine, or on both. 



Family HETEROCHEILIDAE Railliet and Henry 1915 . . 71 



71 (74) With papillae on tail of male and with ceca on both esophagus and 



intestine Contracoecum Railliet and Henry 1912. 



72 (73) Without circle of spines on tail. 



Contracoecum spiculigerum (Rudolphi) 1809. 



Male 1 8 to 90 mm., female 30 to 154 mm. 

 long. Lips small; in terlabia well developed 

 with a small notch at outer margin. Intes- 

 tine with diverticulum at anterior end. Tail 

 of male with 7 postanal papillae many ( 40) 

 preanals in 2 lateral series. Spicules very 

 long, usually well extended, and recurved. 

 Vulva anterior. Ova irregularly reticulate 

 o.i i to 0.12 mm. long. 



Reported by Leidy in 1856, 1882, and 1868 

 ... , from the stomach of cormorant, white and 

 ld brown pelicans, and water turkey. Florida 

 to Dakota. 



FIG. Sag. Contracoecum spiculigerum. 



and tail of male. Magnified. (After Stossich.) 



73 (72) With circle of spines on tail. 



Contracoecum adunca (Rudolphi) 1809. 



FIG. 830. Coniraoecum 

 adunca. Dorsal view of 

 upper lip. Magnified. (After 

 von Linstow.) 



Male 30 to 31 mm., female 30 to 65 mm. long. Weak lateral 

 cuticular membranes. Linstow says interlabia are present. Esoph- 

 agus with cecum extending posteriad 0.6 mm., and intestine with 

 similar extension 0.41 mm. anteriad. Tail of male short, conical, 

 coiled; 27 preanal papillae in simple series, and 3 postanals. Tip of 

 tail ringed with fine spines. Spicules long (1.92 mm.), equal, some- 

 what enlarged at proximal end. 



In intestine and pyloric appendages of shad. Pennsylvania, 

 Maine. Probably of marine origin though taken from fish in fresh 

 water. 



