PARASITTC WORMS — LBIPER AND ATKINSON. 



29 



Fam. ? FILAEIIDA K. 



( ' 'nissini in In , Leip. and Atk. 



Crassicauda, Leiper and Atkinson, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1914, p. 220. Genotype, Filaria 

 crassicauda, Creplin. 



7. Crassicauda crassicauda (Crepl.). 



Filaria crassicauda, Creplin, 1^29. 



A number of portions of long white Filaria-lilze worms wore collected by 

 Mr. Lillie from the renal tubules and from the stomach (wall?) of the Humpback 

 Whale (Megaptera). No complete specimen was recovered ; the portions, in some cases 

 extending to 1.6 inches in length, belonged to both males and females. 



There was upon both male and female portions a curious bulbous dilatation, which 

 appears to have served as a "holdfast," since the worms are almost all severed in the 

 neighbourhood of one of these swellings. The largest worm is the posterior part of 

 a female. This portion measures 45 cm. in length and is torn across at a, holdfast. 

 The males are similarly broken, and are likewise entirely posterior parts. 



The cuticle is transversely striated, but these striae differ very markedly in 

 various parts of the worm. At some places they appear more like rugae than striae, 

 but in others the cuticular markings are typically striae. 



The longest male portion is 28 cm. long, and has a transverse measurement of 

 3 mm. The posterior end is helicoid in all specimens. The tail tapers in the last half- 

 turn to a blunt tip. There are well-formed nipple-like papillae arranged in paired 

 series and numbering on either side eight. 



In no case have we been able to discover any sign of a spicule. In view of the 

 perfect transparency of some of the cleared specimens it must be concluded that in this 

 species the spicules are absent. 



The female also has a very peculiar feature in the arrangement of the genitalia. 

 The genital aperture lies just in front of the posterior end of the worm. The vagina is 

 reduced to little more than the site of fusion of the two long uteri, measuring only 

 0-45 mm. The worm is oviparous. The ovum measures O'Oo x 0*04 mm., has a 

 thick chitinous wall, and contains a coiled embryo. 



The alimentary canal discharges into a, depression formed by the puckering of the 

 posterior end of the worm. About •'! mm. in Iron I of the tip of the tail the body is 

 constricted. This constriction is figured by Creplin and usually appears just behind the 

 vulvar opening. 



The uteri have a transverse diameter of 0 - 21) mm., extending forwards from the 

 vulva without kink or cod for some distance into the body of the worm. 



In spite ot some difference in the Dumber of papillae in the male, and certain other 

 minor features, we regard these specimens as of the same species as that described in 

 1829 by Creplin from a Northern Rorqual. It should be pointed out, however, that the 



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