34 
cavo thorac., Ypanema); 1858, 155 (in Mustelafoina; Padua); 1858, 161-170; 
1861, 316-318, pi. 14, figs. 7-8 (supposed young stage, encysted). — Blanchard, 
1890a, 3. — Diesing, 1861a, 700; 1861c, 280. — Grassi, 1887g, 622. — Parona, 
1887, 495 (in Mustela foina; Genova Zool. Mus. ); 1894, 240; 1896, 6 (in M. 
foina). — Setti, 1897, 48 (syn. of F. quadrupina Diesing). — Stossich, 1898, 95 
(syn. of F. quadnsjnna Diesing). 
1858: ? Filaria mustdse harharx M. C. V. Collect. Brasil, in IMolin, 1858, 387 (syn. of 
F. qjerforans) . 
1858: "I Filaria mustela barhata Molin, 1858, 168, for F. mustelx barbatx. 
1894: ^'’Filaria subcutanea in Parona, 1894, 240. 
Specific diagnosis. — Filaria (p. 36): Body white, slender, filiform, very long, sub- 
equal; anterior extremity attenuated, obtuse; posterior extremity very attenuated, more 
so than head. Cuticle without a trace of transverse striation (Alessandrini, 1838). 
IMouth small, round, unarmed, surrounded by 4 submedian noduliform papillae; in 
the female the ventro-submedian papillae are somewhat nearer the mouth than are 
the dorsal (Schneider); in the male the papillae are somewhat displaced (Stossich). 
Male: 73 mm. long (2 to 3^^ by I to 
1 /// ' 
Caudal extremity forms a spiral; pro- 
vided with broad cuticular alae (bursa) which meet terminally; with 9 pairs of ven- 
tral filiform papillae, 3 pairs preanal, 6 pairs postanal: 1 and 2, 3 and 4 close together; 
5 and 6 near the median line (Schneider). Spicules unequal: the 
larger spicule in form of a tube, with broad, transversely striated 
alae; the shorter spicule conical. 
Female :« 190 mm. long (4 to 7^^ by ^ to Caudal extremity 
acuminate, somewhat curved ventrad; “anus at apex” (Alessan- 
drini). Vulva anterior, very close to the mouth, almost terminal. 
Viviparous (Molin); ovoviviparous (Alessandrini). 
Eggs: Very numerous, small, elliptical, with very thick shell 
and covered with very minute granulations (Stossich). 
Habitat. — Under the skin, and elsewhere, of various European 
Carnivora: Pine Marten {Mustela mart es Firmseus); Beech Marten, 
Stone Marten, or AVhite-breasted Marten {Mustela foina); Common 
Polecat {Putorius putorius); Common Porcupine {Histrix cristata); the Ratel {Mel- 
livora capensis=M. ratel). Also reported for one American host: Tayra(G'wZo6a?’- 
batusDe^m..= Mustela barbara Linn£eus= GaZicfi’s barbara= Galora barbdra) [legitimate 
doubts may arise regarding the specific identity of the Brazilian parasite t> with the 
European form] . 
Geogeaphic disteibutiox. — Italy, Austria, Eritrea (Africa), and ? Brazil. 
Fig. 32. — Egg. 
Enlarged. 
(After Stos- 
sich, 1896.) 
«In referring to filariae “des martres et des putois,” Dujardin (1845a, 48) says that 
a filaria sent from Vienna to the Paris Museum in 1816, and labeled as having been 
found under the skin of a marten is a female, 170 mm. long, by 0.4 mm. in diameter, 
with a head 0.10 mm. in diameter, obliquely truncate, and with a very small round 
mouth near the margin; its tail is equally obtuse, 0.07 mm. broad. The eggs, with 
which this helminth is filled, are elliptical, nearly round, 42 p long, covered with 
a caducous granular layer, and show an enrolled embryo. “It is very probable 
from these characters that it should be placed in another genus.” 
^ Molin (1858, 168) examined a female taken by Natterer in Brazil from the tho- 
racic cavity of Gulo barbatus, 2 uad states: “Questo corrispondeva esattamente alia 
descrizione che ho dato delle Filarie sottocutanee delle martore; soltanto la sua 
estremita caudale era molto ottusa. Esso misurava in lunghezza, e [= in 
larghezza,” 
