ON A NEW KEPTILIAN CESTODE. 115 



Dipylidiinae close to the genus Oochoristica which also 

 occurs in reptiles. 



Dr. Shipley 1 described a cestode Palaia varani, from 

 another Monitor, Varanus indicus, Daud., captured in 

 New Britain. This tapeworm was made the type of a new 

 genus Palaia, which the author stated as being near 

 Oochoristica. There does not appear to be any real affinity 

 between it and the Acanthotaenia group. 



To the genus Acanthotaenia as amended, would belong 

 A. biroi, Ratz, A. saccifera, Ratz, A. tidswelli, Jnstn., 

 and the type A. shipleyi, v. Linstow, all of which have 

 been taken from species of Varanus. The known Austra- 

 lasian lacertilian cestodes now comprise all of these (with 

 the exception of the last), Taenia mychocephala, Ratz, and 

 Palaia varani, Shipley, A. tidsivelli being the only one yet 

 found on the mainland of Australia. 



In addition to the tapeworm, there were present a few 

 specimens of a nematode Physaloptera sp., perhaps P. 

 varani, Parona, but I have not yet seen a description of 

 the latter, and consequently cannot identify it with cer- 

 tainty. Its habitat was the stomach. 



The type slide of Acanthotaenia tidsivelli has been pre- 

 sented to the Trustees of the Australian Museum, Sydney. 



In conclusion I desire to thank my friend, Mr. S. J. 

 Johnston, b.a., b.sc, of the Biology Department, Sydney 



x Shipley, " Entozoa," in Willey, " Zoological Kesults," part v, 1900, 

 pp. 548 - 550. In the description there is no mention of a locality, but on 

 p. 551, mention is made of a cestode Phyllobothrium dipsadomorphi, Shipley, 

 infesting a snake, Dipsadomorphus irregularis, Merrem., the snake and 

 the lizard being collected from the same locality in New Britain. I 

 have seen Varanus indicus near Gladstone in Queensland, and hence it 

 may be expected that before long both Palaia varani, Shipley, and the 

 nematode Physaloptera varani, Parona (also recorded by Shipley as occur- 

 ring in this lizard in New Britain) may be added to our known Australian 

 entozoan fauna. 



