ASCARIS SIMPLEX. 



125 



Dujardin's description {=A. Dussumierii) he still retains under the name "A. 



Pig. 25. 



l^x." In a later publication Oobbold (1886, pp. 176, 177) mentions some ascarides 

 which Charles Darwin collected " from stomach of a porpoise off the island of Ohiloe, 

 January, 1835." There were thirteen specimens, mostly females, the longest of which 

 did not exceed 3 inches. These Oobbold determined as "A. simplex," 

 again stating that A. delphini found by Lebeck belonged to the same 

 species; this view he "coilfirmed from an examination of nematodes 

 procured from a Platanista gangetica^ by Dr. John Anderson," and he 

 thinks "it probable that the Ascaris found by Krefft and Masters in 

 a dolphin captured in Port Jackson is of the same species. If so, the 

 worm occurs in DelpMnus phocaena, in 1). Forsteri, and in Platanista gangetica, and 

 probably in the dolphins generally. * * * The ova from Mr. Darwin's specimens 

 are nearly spherical, furnished with thin, transparent (;horional envelopes. They give 

 an average diameter of ^q of an inch from pole to pole. M. Dujardiii, whose descrip- 

 tion of the species is the best on record, 

 found the eggs to be a trifle longer." In 

 his bibliography of this worm Oobbold 

 does not cite Krabbe's paper. 



It is evident from Cobbold's discus- 

 sion that at no time had he any clear 

 idea of the worms he was attempting to 

 describe; and all of his statements con- 

 cerning them should be either preceded 

 with a prominent mark of interrogation 

 or rejected in toto. 



Leidy (1886, p. 311) next recorded 

 "Ascaris simplex Eudolphi from the stom- 

 ach of a dolphin, Lagenorhynchusf Pacific 

 ocean," but as we show on page 134 of this report, hjs specimens belong to Ascaris 

 typica. 



Von Linstow (1888, pp. 2, 3) appears to be the next zoologist to examine A. 

 simplex. He records it "from the stomach of Otaria jubata, January 27, 1874, 

 Kerguelen Island," collected by the OMlle^ger expedition. Thirteen specimens (fig. 25) 

 were taken, the largest -measuring 79"'™ long and 2.2"™ 

 broad. The dorsal lip (fig. 26) is described as semicircular, 

 with an anterior protrusion; the pulp sends two cylindrical 

 protrusions into the latter, and these are rounded ofi" ajite- 

 riorly; the anterior end bears a dentigerous ridge with 

 pointed teeth; accessory lips wanting; dorsal lip (fig. 27) 

 (0.12™™ broad) smaller than ventrolateral lips (0.30™™). The 

 cuticle exhibits cuticular bands 23 /u broad, with finer striae 

 about eight times as narrow; lateral lines 0.23™™ broad, 

 dorsal and ventral lines 35 //. The male measures 37 by 0.9™"' ; its tail is provided 

 with four [pairs] of conical papillae on extremity, two or three others of round form 

 "just in front of the cloaca," at each side of these six other shortly stalked papillae, 

 and again in front an inconstant row of fifty or more; cirri long (1.68™'") with saber- 

 shaped curvature. The female attains 79™™ in length by 2.2™™ in breadth; anus 



Fig. 26. 



Fig. 27. 



