On ihe MorpholoQi/ q/" Bracliyclonus iiKliciis. 2'^^) 



XXX. — On the Morpholoify of the Bursate Nematode Bracliy- 

 clonus iiulicus, Raill. d: Henry, 1910. By M. KllALiL, 

 M.D., Ph.D., Parasitologist to the Zoological Society of 

 IjOikIom *. 



In 1010 Raillit't and Henry published a short descriplion of 

 Brachi/clonxis indicus, gen. et sp. n., from Tapirus indicus. 

 Their description lacks many details, and, moreover, is un- 

 accompanied by diaiframs. The parasite has not been alluded 

 to in the literature since 1910, and the original description 

 remains the only one available for reference. During Jurie 

 1922 I found this j^arasite in the small intestine of a Malayan 

 tapir — Tapirus indicus — which died recently in the Zoological 

 Gardens in London. 



y'he Parasite. 



Shape of the Body. — The bod}', after fixing in hot alcohol, 

 is straight, except the cephalic end, which is strongly bent 

 dorsally. The male is 12 mm. in length ; its large bursa can 

 be seen with the naked eye. 1'he female is 16 mm. in 

 length ; its posteiior end is conical, taj^ering gradually to a 

 fine point. In both sexes the maximum diameter of the body- 

 is a little anterior to the middle of the body; it is 0*63 mm. 

 in the female and 0*53 mm. in the male. 



iSki7i. — The cuticle is finely striated at intervals of 0*006 mm. 

 The cephalic end of the body and the female tail are devoid 

 of striations. 



Mouth-capsule. — The mouth-capsule opens antero-dorsally 

 (fig. 1). Its ventral wall is longer than its dorsal wall, being 

 resj)ectively 0'2 mm. and 0*1 n)m. in both sexes. The 

 mouth-opening is guarded by tAVo chitinous plates Ij'ing side 

 by side and occupying the ventral half of that opening. The 

 cutting-edges of the two plates lie close to each other. 



Tlie dorsal cone projects freely into the mouth-cavity 

 nearer its dorsal wall. At its apex opens the duct of the 

 dorsal oesophageal gland. On either side of the cone there is 

 a lancet, pyramidal in shape. There are additional chitinous 

 teeth springing from the floor of the mouth-capsule close to 

 its ventral wall. These are much larger in size than the 



* From the Ilelmintliological Deimrtment, F-uudoii Scliool of Tropical 

 Medicine. 



