ASCARIS DELPHINI. . 163 



Benedeu ^1870, p. 359) again reverts to ^^Asodris delphini,^^ citing Lebeck's reference 

 as to t^e occurrence of parasites in the dolphin of the Ganges Platanista gangetica 

 (Delphinus gangeticus). Von Linstow (1878, p. 60) cites Ascaris simplex as parasite of 

 Platanista gengetica, but undoubtedly he refers to the supposed synonym A. delpMni. 

 Stossich (1896, p. 17) also makes A. delphini a synonym of A. simplex and cites 

 Platanista as host. 



It is impossible 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 RVTINAE Diesing, 1851. 



1751, "Lumbrioi oandidi" of Stellkr, Nov. Comment. Acad. Sci. Imp. Petropol., II, ad Ann. 1749, 



p. 311. 

 1846, "Ascarides" of Brandt, Bull. Physico-Math. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. Petersbourg, V, p. 1,92. Refers 



to Steller'B specimens. 

 1851, Ascaris i-ytinae Diesing, Systema helminthum, II, p. 190. Species inquirenda; refers to Steller 



and Brandt. 

 1851, Aacaris rhytinae Stelleri in synonymy, Diesing, Systema helminthum, II, p. 190. 

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



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



Diagnosis. — Length 6 inches. 



Habitat: Stomach and dnodennm of the Northern extinct sea cow. 



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 (1846) thought they must be ascarides since Eiippel and 

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

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

 history of the worm is as follows : 



HiSTOKiCAL KEViEW. — Steller (1751, p. 311) in his "De bestiis marinis" fou,nd 

 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 Inmbricis candidis i pedem longis, quibus totus ventrioulus, pylorum 

 et duodenum scatebat, perforata erat, et lumbrioi in glaudulae canum, vsque penetrauerant, glandula 

 discissa copiosnm, saccum sundebat. Non licuit posthac plures ventriculos examinare ob id, quod 

 necessario auxilio carebam, neo cum paucis animal semel innenire iacena in dorsum vertere possem, 

 propterea dubito, an haeo glandula 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 Sirenocyamus 

 and the specific name S. 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 Eiippel and Owen, but does not name or describe them. Diesing 

 (1851, p. 190) cites "Ascaris Bhytinae Brandt " among the species inquirendae; the term 

 is practically a nomen nudum, the only description being "Longit. J"," 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 inquirenda, giving the length as 160""°. 



