122 



SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



(b) Hxmatozoa : Clifford DobelJ (" Spolia Zeylanica," 

 December, 1910) has found no less than three blood parasites 

 infesting this species. These are (1) Trypanosoma tropidonoti. 

 This is an actively motile organism, which lives free in the 

 blood stream, and measures, including its flagellum, 30 to 

 40 mm. (1 to 1 J inches) in length. The body is sharply pointed 

 at both extremities and has a granular central trophic nucleus. 

 The undulating membrane ends anteriorly in the flagellum 

 and posteriorly in an oval body — the kinetic nucleus — which 

 is situated at or rather behind the trophic nucleus. It is not 

 known how these affect the health of their hosts. The snake 

 may have acquired an immunity, as in the case of wild African 

 ungulates, against the Trypanosoma brucei, or suffer in health 

 like ungulates infected with Trypansoma evansi, the causative 

 agent of surra. (Fig. 26.) 



Fig. 20.— A. Red blood cell. 



B. Trypanosoma (after Dobell) — 



(a) Trophic nucleus. 



(b) Kinetic nucleus. 



(c) Undulating membrane. 



(d) Flagellum. 



C. Spirochaeta tropidonoti. 

 Parasites of Amphiesma stolata. 



(2) Spirochaeta tropidonoti. — This is a slender, corkscrew -like, 

 actively -motile organism, which lives free in the blood stream. 

 It measures about 15 mm. (If of an inch) in length. Dobell 

 suggests that the snake may be infected through the agency 

 of a tick, to which I may add a mite (Microtrombidium). It is 

 not known how this affects the snake's health. (Vide Fig. 26.) 



