ASCARIS DELPHINI. 1()3 



Beiiedcu (1870, p. 359) jigiiiu reverts to ^^Ascaris delphini,''^ citing Lebeck's reference 

 as to the occnrrence of parasites in the dolphin of the Ganges Platanista (/an</etica 

 (Belphinus yangcticits). Von Linstow (1878, p. 60) cites Ascaris simplex as parasite of 

 Platanista (/eugctiea, but undoubtedly lie refers to the supposed synonym A. delphini. 

 Stossich (1890, p. 17) also makes ^4. delphini a synonym of A. simplex and cites 

 Platanista as host. 



It is imi)Ossible to identify this worm, but Schneider has described A. lobulata 

 from the same host (p. 159), and the two forms may possibly be identical. 



13. ASCARIS RYTINAE Diesiug, 1851. 



1751, "Liiuibrici candidi '' of Stellkr, Nov, Commeut. Acad. Sci. Imp. Petropol., II, ad Ann. 1749, 



p. 311. 

 1846, "Ascarides" of Buandt, Bull. Pbysico-Math. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. Petersbourg, V, p. 192. Refers 



to Steller's specimens. 

 1851, Ascaria ryiinae Diesing, Systeraa belmintbum, II, p. 190. Species inquirenda; refers to Steller 



and Brandt. 

 1851, Ascaris rhytinae Stelleri in synonymy, Diesing, Systema belmintbum, II, p. 190. 

 1878, "Ascaris rhytinae Brandt," in von Linstow, Compendium der Helmintbologie, p. 59. — Stossich, 



1896, Boll. Soc. adriatica Sci. nat. Trieste, XVII, p. 69. 



Diagnosis. — Lengtb 6 incbes. 



Habitat : Stomacb and duodenum of tbe Nortbern extinct sea cow. 



Host. 



Locality. 



Collector. 



Authority. 







Steller 



Steller, 1751, p. 311. 









Summary. — Our entire knowledge of this worm is based upon the statement by 

 Steller (1751) that specimens were present in the stomach and duodenum of the now 

 extinct sea cow. Brandt (1840) thought they must be ascarides since Riippel and 

 Owen found ascarides in the stomach of the dugong. Diesiug named the worm more 

 than a century after Steller found it. The parasite is unidentifiable. In detail the 

 history of the worm is as follows: 



Histokical review. — Steller (1751, p. 311) in his "De bestiis marinis" found 

 some worms of the stomach and duodenum of a sea cow on July 12, 1742, taken in 

 the Bering Sea. He refers to the parasites in the following passage: 



Interior ventriculi tunica a lumbricis candidis i pedem longis, quibus totus ventriculus, pylorum 

 et duodenum scatebat, perforata erat, et lumbrici in glandulae cauum, vsqne penetrauerant, glandula 

 discissa copiosum, succum sundebat. Non licuit postbac jilures ventriculos examinare ob id, quod 

 necessario auxilio carebam, nee cum paucis animal semel inuenire iacens in dorsum vertere possem, 

 propterea dubito, an baec glandnla res constans, vet potius morbidum quid fuerit. 



Brandt (1846, p. 190-192) in referring to the ectoparasites mentioned by Steller 

 (1751, pp. 298, 324, 330), and for which he (Brandt) proposed the genus Sirenocijamus 

 and the specific name ;iS'. Rhytinae^ also cites the worms found by Steller; he believed 

 them to be '■'■Ascarides,^'' but did not name or describe them. He also refers to the 

 worms found by Riippel and Owen, but does not name or describe them. Diesing 

 (1851, p. 190) cites ^'■Ascaris Rhytinae Brandt" among the species inquirendae; the term 

 IS practically a nomen nudum, the only description being "Longit. ^"," and refers to 

 the worms found by Steller in July, 1742; von Linstow (1878, p. 59) mentions the 

 parasites as ^^ Ascaris rhytinae Brandt." Stossich (1896, p. 69) also refers to the same 

 worms as a species inquire7ida, giving the length as 160'""'. 



