THE NEMATODE FAMILY GNATHOSTOMID.^:. 



305 



GXATIIOSTOMA ACCIPITRI Ski'jabiu, 1915. 



We have been unable to consult a paper in which, under this 

 name, Skrjabin has described a parasite from an eagle in 

 Turkestan. We have no data at all on which to base any 

 comment. 



Gnathostoma sp., AVeinberg and Brimont, 1909. 



These authoi'S give (1909, p. 104) a detailed report on certain 

 lesions produced in the large intestine of a '"Tamarin" (a small 

 monkey) in French Guiana by parasites which they identify as 

 Gnathostomes. The habitat induces a natural doubt as to whether 

 the parasites may not have been Qllsophagostomes, and a study 

 of the text does not completely dissipate this, since no actual 

 description of the worms is given. The following sentence occurs: 

 " Muni d'un u ombre considerable d'epines et de lamelles chitineuses 

 tres solides, le Gnathostonie enfonce profondement son extremite 

 cephalique, et peut ainsi amener, par ce seul moyen mecanique, 

 une rupture de la paroi intestinale." It is not clear whether the 

 expressions used here refer to Gnathostomes in general or to 

 these worms in particular, so that it appears wise to suspend 

 judgment as to the systematic position of these parasites till they 

 have been properly described. 



For Cheir acanthus unGinatiis and C heir acanth its sjmiosissimus 

 see .Echinoce2)halas [supra, p. 273), to which genus they belong, j 



Genera doubtfully to be attributed to the Gnathostomidae. 



Ancyracanthus Diesing, 1839. 



Ancyr acanthus Diesiog (1839, p. 227). 

 Ancry acanthus v. Linstow (1893, p. 205). 



Genotype: Ancyracanthus pinnatijidus Diesing (1839, p. 227 ; 

 pi. xiv, tigs 21-27; pi. xviii. figs. 1-20). 

 Ancyracanthus 2)innatijidus v. Drasclie(1884, p. 1 1 1 ; 

 pi. iv. iigs. 6-11). 



These nematodes are characterized by the fact that the head 

 bears four appendages set cross-w^ise, two springing from each of 

 the lateral lips. Each appendage is pinnate and is connected 

 w^ith a cervical sac. Furthermore, from the attachment between 

 appendage and sac springs a long conical process, nearly as long 

 r, s and lying close beside the latter. Diesing and von Drasche 

 are in disagreement regarding the existence of a communication 

 between the cavities of the sac and of the appendage, which, 

 taking into consideration the complicated branching character of 

 the latter, is not surprising. It is stated by von Drasche that 

 the cervical sacs have no spiral layer. 



Habitat : gut of Fodocnemis exjxmsa and P. tracaxa. 



