15 
ON A NEW CILIATE, BALANTIDIUM BLATTARUM, 
SP. NOV., INTESTINAL PARASITE IN THE COMMON 
COCKROACH (BLATTA AMERICANA). 
By EKENDRANATH GHOSH, M.Sc., M.D., 
Professor of Biology , Medical College , Calcutta. 
(With 1 Text-figure.) 
The parasite herein described was found in the intestinal contents of Blatta 
americana at Calcutta. The species seems to be comparatively rare and was 
observed twice only. It may be named B. blattarum sp. nov. 
Diagnosis: Body irregularly pyriform, slightly less than twice as long as 
its greatest transverse diameter, and circular in transverse section. Anterior 
Length 0*09 mm. (See Text-fig.) 
Balantidium Clap, and Lach., was emended by Biitschli (in Bronns, 
Tierreich, Protozoa, 3 Abt., pp. 1723-1725), by the removal of two species (B. 
duodeni and B. rotundum) which were placed together in a separate genus. 
Balantidiopsis. He characterised Balantidium by its round transverse section 
and its habitat in the large intestine, and Balantidiopsis by its flattened body 
and its habitat in the small intestine. 
