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A PARASITE OF THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF THE GOLDEN SWAMP FROG 



(3) Chloromyxttm caudatum Thelohan, from the gallbladder of Molge cristata. 



Aurebach (1910, p. 44) refers to the same three species, but omits Ifana esciilentu as a host for 

 L. ohlmacheri. He adds a fourth, namely: — 



Chloromyxum protei Joseph (1905, 1906), from the kidney of Proteus anguineus. 



Miiller, in 1895, referred to the presence of " Myxosporidia ' 

 temporaria (see Labbe, 1899, p. 113). 



in tumours in the skin of Rami 



Doflein (191 1, pp. 871 and 875) merely mentioned the occurrence of members of Polysporea and, 

 doubtfully, of the Disporea in Amphibia. 



Mode of Occurrence. — The infected frogs appear sickly and emaciated. In the male the testes 

 and vasa efferentia are attacked, while in the female only the oviducts have been found to harbour 

 the parasite. The disease is much more common among males. In a batch of about thirty H. aurea, 

 every male frog (seven) and two females were parasitised (April, 1915). In cases of heavy infection 

 the whole testis is swollen and studded thickly with white cysts, which may be imbedded in the tissue 

 of the organ or may project freely into the ccelome. The largest cysts are 2-3 mm. in diameter, but 

 all sizes, down to those of microscopic dimensions are to be found. Each cyst when crushed exudes 

 a milky fluid, which proves on microscopic examination to be composed of myriads of tiny spores. 

 Small cysts and loose spores may be found in the efferent ducts, but no spores have yet been detected by 

 us in sections of the kidney tubules. Fletcher found the parasite also in the urinary bladder of both sexes. 

 As no fresh material was available for the present work, and as only the genitalia of the diseased 

 specimens were preserved, we are unable to confirm his observation. 



Fig. I. — Transverse section of a heavily infested 

 testis. 



Fig. 2. — T.S. infected testis. 



In one male specimen both testes and both kidneys were affected, and the upper parts of the 

 ureters adjacent to the kidneys were swollen and milky in appearance. In another, in addition to the 

 testes, the adjacent kidney and mesentery were attacked. In parasitised females, one or bolh oviducts 

 were infested. 



The Spore. — The spore consists of an outer resistant shell or envelope, and an inner protoplasmic 

 body. This envelope is bivalved, the two valves forming a slightly thickened rim where they meet. 

 When lying on its flat surface the spore appears as an oval or sometimes more or less egg-shaped bod y. 



