ON NEW TREMATOBES FROM REPTILES. 677 



PAPERS. 



31. On Three New Trematodes from Reptiles. 

 By William Nicoll, M.A., D.Sc, M.B., F.Z.S.* 



[Received December 29, 1910 : Read April 25, 1911.] 



(Plates XXVII. & XXVIII.f) 



The following notes were made on a collection handed over to 

 me by the Prosector of the Zoological Society. In no case was 

 the habitat noted, but from their affinities it may be presumed 

 that the specimens all came from the lungs, the mouth, or the 

 oesophagus. The specimens are intei'esting as forming an im- 

 portant addition to our knowledge of the large variety of forms 

 which inhabit the air-passages and anterior end of the alimentary 

 canal of reptiles and batrachians. To the taxonomy of this 

 particular group Odhner has recently (1910) made a valuable 

 contribution, which will be further refei^red to later. 



The first species is from the Hog-nosed Snake {Heterodon 

 plati/rhimis), and I include it provisionally in the genus Lechri- 

 orchis Stafford, 1904. Like most of Stafford's genera, this genus 

 is insufficiently defined, although the fact that he includes in it 

 the well-described species L. {Renifer) elongatus Pratt, 1903, is 

 something to go upon. It is, therefore, necessary to amend 

 Stafford's definition somewhat, as follows. 



Genus Lechriorchis Stafford, 1904. 



Resembling Renifer Pratt, 1903, except in the following 

 particulars. The intestinal diverticula extend a short distance 

 beyond the testes ; the genital aper-ture is fvirther from the edge 

 of the body, midway between it and the pharynx ; there is a well- 

 developed vagina. 



These constitute, as far as appears, the only difllerences between 

 the two genera. 



Lechriorchis validus, sp. n. (Plate XXVII. figs. 1-5.) 



This is a species of moderate size, measuring 3"6-7"4 mm. in 

 length by "9-1 '4 mm. in breadth. The smallest specimens had 

 just begun to produce ova, so that the minimum adult size is 

 probably about 3 mm. The body is elongated, the length being 

 4-5 times the breadth. The latter is comparatively uniform, but 

 the tail is distinctly pointed. The anterior end is more rounded, 

 while there is a tendency for a slight narrowing to occur about 

 or behind the ventral sucker. In young specimens the body is 

 flattened, but it becomes much thicker as the uterus increases in 

 size. In transverse section an adult specimen presents a strongly 

 convex dorsal surface and a flat or slightly convex ventral surface. 



* From the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, London, 

 f For explanation of the Plates see p. 686. 



