Notes 011 the Probable Partial Life-History of Galactosomum Spinetum (Brawn, 1901) (Trematoda) from the West Coast of Florida*

JANUARY, 1960] HELMINTHOLOGICAL SOCIETY 75

Notes 011 the Probable Partial Life-History of Galactosomum spinetum (Brawn, 1901) (Trematoda) from the West Coast of Florida*

FRANKLIN SOGANDARES-BERNALI and ROBERT F. HUTTONI A single half-beak, Ilyporliampus imifasciatus (Ransani), (Pisces), from John's Pass, Florida, was found infected with a large heterophyid metncer- caria encysted in the visceral adipose tissue. Fifty of these metacereariae were fed to a laboratory raised hamster, and another live dissected from their cysts, observed microscopically and fixed in boiling water. Careful examination of the exposed hamster after 96 hours revealed that no worms were present. The metacereariae from the half-beak were identified as a species of Galactosomum Looss, 1899. Outstanding features of the metacereariae were: (1) excretory vesicle extending to the posterior testis; (2) an immediately pre-equatorial gonotyl position; (3) a very short prepharynx and esophagus, placing cecal bifurcation a long distance from the gonotyl; and (4) the uterus extending anterior to the gonotyl. This latter character was observed in a single live specimen and although difficult to observe seems to be present in our stained material. Our material from the half-beak was compared with different species of Galactosomum, in different stages of development, collected from varied sea- birds along the west coast of Florida. The proportions and other details of the metacereariae from the half-beak agreed so closely with specimens of Galactosomum spinet-urn (Braun, 1901) collected from skimmers, Rynchops nicj-ra Linn., (Aves), (Figs: 1 to 4: projected scales in mm.), in Gasparilla Sound, Florida, that they are at this time considered the same species. Prudhoe (1949) has indicated that the pregonotylar uterine extent is diag- nostic for G. spinetum (Braun, 1901). There is a possibility that the metacereariae from the half-beak could represent an undescribed species of Galactosomum. We have found specimens of surface fishes, Fundulus similis (Baird and Girard) and clupeid fish remains, in skimmers from Little Gasparilla Pass, Gasparilla Sound, Florida. The presence of G. spinetum metacereariae in the half-beak, a predominantly surface fish would form a natural source of infection for the skimmer. Cable (1956) believed larval forms of Galactosomum to be certain magnacercous cercariae. We have collected tAvo of 2731 Ceritliiinn muscarum Say from Boca Ciega Bay, Florida, infected with a non-aggregating* magnacercous cercaria. A large number of Fundulus similis from St. Petersburg, Florida, have been examined for encysted trematodes, and only Parascocotyle diminuta (Stunkard and Haviland, 1924) has been found encysted in the gills. For this study, five Fundulus similis were collected from the same locality. Four of these fishes were examined for encysted trematodes and only P. diminuta was found in the gills. The remaining Fundulus similis was exposed to the non- aggregating cercaria from Ccritliium muscarum collected in Boca Ciega Bay,

* Florida State Board of Conservation Marine, Laboratory Contribution Number 31. •fTulane University, Department of Zoology, New Orleans, Louisiana. ^Florida State Board of Conservation Marine Laboratory, Maritime Base, Bayboro Harbor, St. Petersburg, Florida. Acknowledgments are extended to Dr. Eugenie Clark, Director, Cape Haze Marine Labora- tory, Placida, Florida, for making laboratory facilities available in that area.

Florida. Examination of this fish host after about 12 clays exposure to the magnacercous cercaria revealed the presence of ten metacercariae excysted in the musculature adjacent to the interhaemal spines of the anal fin. One of these live worms was dissected from the cyst and examined microscopically and the others fed to a chick (roughly three days1 old). The metacercaria from Funduhls similis and Hyporhampus unifasciatus could not be confused. The one from Fundulus may represent another species of G-alactosomum which is commonly found in gulls of this area. Examination of the exposed chick after three days revealed that no worms were present in the digestive tract. Although the metacercaria from the half-beak did not prove to be identical

All drawings made with the aid of a camera lucid a. The projected scale has value in millimeters. Fig. 1. Metacercaria from half-beak tentatively identified as G. spinetum. Ventral view. Fig. 2. G. spinetum from skimmer. Immature specimen. Ventral view. Fig. 3. Same. Mature specimen with a few eggs in the uterus and poorly differ- entiated vitellaria. Ventral view. Fig. 4. Same. Fully developed specimen. Ventral view.

Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington JANUARY, 1960] HELMINTHOLOGICAL SOCIETY 77 with the one experimentally obtained in Fundulus similis, by exposure to a non-aggregating magnacercous cercaria, it would not be inconceivable to be- lieve that half-beaks could possibly infect themselves by feeding on positively phototrophic magnacercous cercariae. LITERATURE CITED GABLE, E. M. 1956. Marine cercariae of Puerto Eico. Sci. Survey of Puerto Eico and the Virgin Islands, 16: 491-577. PRUDIIOE, S. 3949. A review of the trematodc genus Galactosomum. J. Helm., 23: 135-156.

The Genus Perodira Baylis, 1943 (Nematoda: Drilonematidae), with a Description of a New Species

RlCIIAKD W. TlMM Notre Dame College, Dacca, East Pakistan Baylis (1943) described a new genus of drilonematid nematode parasites from the body cavity of the South Indian earthworms, Hoplocliaetdla anomola and Drawida sp. The type and only species, Perodira alata, had such typical drilonematid features as caudal pits or suckers ("pocket-like" phasmids of Chitwood & Chitwood, 1950), a single ovary, and a long narrow esophagus. Yet it differed markedly from other drilonematid genera in the possession of a U-shaped stoma, and especially in the presence of large pouch-like amphids. Amphids of this shape are characteristically found in many marine nematodes of the Class1 Aphasmidea, Superfamily Enoploidea. Among the Phasmidea these amphids are most similar to the transversely-elliptical amphids of some diplogasterids. In dissecting the earthworm Pheretima postlmma (L. Vaillant), obtained from Subida, Kamalapur, and Golla, all in Dacca District, we found large numbers' of a nematode which strongly resembled Perodira alata in even the finest details. The general body form, the strong coiling in the male, and the shape of male and female tails were the same. In both, the amphids were large and pouch-like; the excretory pore was located behind the esophageal base; the ovary extended well into the tail and was not reflexed; the phasmids were "pocket-like" and asymmetrically placed on the two sides of the tail; there was a prominent ejaculatory duct in the male but no copulatory ap- paratus; and alae Avere found on the male tail. However, Baylis could not locate an anus, whereas in our specimens the anus in the female Avas quite prominent. The head Avas not set off by a constriction in P. alata and there was a small U-shaped stoma, unlike our species Avhieh had no stoma. The esophagus had a narroAV isthmus in P. alata, but in our species it Avas clavate. Baylis likeAvise did not report subventral excretory cells, Avhieh in our species were large and definite. MoreoA'er, Baylis' specimens Avere stated to haAre been free in the body cavity, Avhereas ours Avere located in the testis sacs and seminal vesicles, especially in the latter. Only one other genus, Dicelis, has been found in a similar habitat. D. filaria Dujardin, 1845, Avas reported from the testis sac of Liimbricus (Wiilker, 1926), Avhile D. nira ChitAvood & Lucker, 1934, Avas reported from the gonads of Helodrilus (probably the seminal vesicles, since the testes degenerate in mature eartliAvorms, the OAraries are quite small, and testis sacs are not present in Helodriltis).