420 
Classification of the Ascaridae 
Note on the name P. anoura. 
This form does not appear to have been named by Retzius (1830), although 
it was first described by him. He refers to it merely as an Ascaris from Python 
bivittatus. Dujardin (1845), who re-described it, makes no reference to Retzius’ 
description, but names it, as a new species, anoura. Railliet and Henry (1910) 
make the somewhat misleading statement that Retzius, in 1848, recognised 
his species as identical with A. anoura Dujardin, 1845. The fact appears to be 
that Creplin (1848) published a German translation of Retzius’ description, 
adding footnotes of his own (signed Or/'), in one of which he observes that 
Retzius’ and Dujardin’s species are identical, and appears to accept Dujardin’s 
name. It seems, therefore, that the correct specific name of the form just 
described is anoura, and that the name pythonis has no claim to priority. How 
the apparently fictitious name A. pythonis has crept into the literature the 
writer is unable to discover. Possibly there has been some confusion between 
the Ascaris from a python and the Bothriocephalus pythonis described by 
Retzius in the same year and journal. 
2 . Polydelphis attenuata (Molin, 1858). 
Ascaris attenuata Molin (1858), p. 147. 
„ rubicunda ($) Schneider (1866), p. 42. 
„ attenuata Molin, 1858, of Stossich (1896), p. 77 (in part). 
>> » (2) Molin, of v. Linstow (1899), p. 6. 
„ pythonis Retzius, 1830, of Railliet and Henry (1910) (in part). 
„ ( Polydelphis) attenuata (Molin, 1858) of Gedoelst (1916), p. 5. 
Length, male, up to 190 mm.; female, up to 258 mm. Thickness, male, up 
to 2 mm.; female, up to 3 mm. Cuticular striations 3 p apart. Body tapering 
anteriorly, stout posteriorly. Lips (Fig. 4) small, oblong, somewhat longer than 
broad, with anterior border slightly emarginate and free angles rounded. 
Dorsal lip bears two papillae with double terminations, ventro-lateral lips each 
one double papilla towards the ventral side. Dentigerous ridges marginal, with 
very minute teeth. Oesophagus relatively long, ~ to ^ of total body-length. 
No intestinal caecum. Nerve-ring at about the anterior yy of oesophagus. 
Excretory pore a little behind nerve-ring. Tail of male conical, ^ of total 
length. Spicules equal, 7-9 mm. long, with blunt tips. Caudal papillae, five 
pairs postanal (two sub-ventral, three lateral), 36 pairs preanal. Genital tube 
of male extends as far forward as the anterior third of the body. Posterior 
end of female very blunt, with small terminal spike. A pair of caudal papillae 
at 0*175 mm. from the extremity. Vulva at about the anterior fifth of the 
body. Vagina sinuous, widening gradually into the undivided portion of the 
uterus, from which it is not clearly marked off externally. The anterior part of 
the uterus runs straight back to a point about 35 mm. from the anterior end of 
the body, where it gives off four wide branches. These run straight back and 
