Proc. Helminthol. Soc. Wash. 51(2), 1984, pp. 348-349 Research Note The Genus Spirorchis MacCallum, 1919 and Family Spirorchiidae Stunkard, 1921 (Trematoda) HORACE W. STUNKARD The American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York 10024 The genus Spirorchis was erected by G. A. in the description. After corrections and revision MacCallum, ([1919] Zoopathologica, New York of the genus, it was apparent that certain of the Zoological Society, Vol. I, No. 3, p. 92), but the blood-flukes belonged in Spirorchis. Further, it author omitted the specific name intended for was apparent that Proparorchis was a synonym. the species. The report was based on three spec- In response to an inquiry, Dr. C. W. Stiles, in a imens from the intestine of Clemmys insculpta letter dated March 1, 1920, stated, "According (=Chelopus insculptus). to the rulings of the International Commission, Ward (1921, J. Parasitol. 7:114-128) de- a generic name may be valid even though no scribed a new species of blood flukes from turtles specific name is published with it. The first spe- under the name Proparorchis artericola. The ac- cific name that is published after the generic name count was based on specimens in the Department becomes type of the genus." The suppression of of Zoology of the University of Illinois. For the Proparorchis as a synonym invalidated the new genus, Proparorchis, he erected a new subfamily and family names, Proparorchiinae and subfamily, Proparorchiinae. He recognized the Proparorchiidae. Accordingly, Stunkard erected genus Spirorchis, 1919 as a related form, pro- and characterized the subfamily Spirorchinae posed the specific name innominata for the par- (revised spelling Spirorchiinae) and the subfam- asite, and included Spirorchis in the subfamily ily Hapalotreminae (revised Hapalotrematinae) Proparorchiinae. Looss (1902, Zool. Jahrb. Syst. to contain the genus Hapalotrema. The two 16:411-894) had erected the genus Hapalotrema subfamilies were included in the family Spiror- to receive the species Distoma constrictum chidae (revised Spirorchiidae). Leared, 1862, a parasite of the vascular system MacCallum (1921, Zoopathologica, Vol. I, No. of the marine turtle Thalassochelys corticata 6, dated August 1921) described a new species, (=Caretta carettd). This species was included Spirorchis emydis. The account begins, "Fami- (Odhner 1912, Zool. Anz. 41:54-71) in the ly—Spirorchiidae, Subfamily—Spirorchiinae. subfamily Liolopinae, family Harmostomidae. Host—Emys blandingi, Blanding's turtle. Hab- Ward removed Hapalotrema from the subfamily itat—lung. Locality—Ohio, U.S.A. In a paper on Liolopinae and included it with Proparorchiinae Telorchis and other trematodes (Zoopathologica, in a new family Proparorchiidae. Ward (1921, New York Zool. Soc., 1918, 1:81) I described a loc. cit., p. 124) stated, "I have endeavored as worm from the intestine of Chelopus insculptus, yet unsuccessfully to get for examination one of giving it the name Spirorchis. This same worm the specimens on which MacCallum's descrip- had been found by me previously (in 1912) in tion is based." In 1920, I was told by Dr. the lung of Chrysemys picta. Unfortunately, MacCallum that the slides were misplaced and through an error the specific name eustreptos, apparently lost. But after the publication of the which was intended, was omitted. Ward in his paper by Ward, he found the specimens and sent paper of March (Journal of Parasitology), with- them to me. out consulting me, and without studying the form, Stunkard (1921, American Museum Novi- suggests the specific name innominata, but that tates, No. 12, issued July 15, 1921) described name is not acceptable and I maintain the name blood-flukes from turtles that he had collected Spirorchis eustreptos.'''' and studied as a graduate student in the De- This account was the first time MacCallum partment of Zoology at the University of Illinois, mentioned subfamily Spirorchiinae or family and others collected later in the New York and Spirorchiidae, and the publication bears the date New Jersey area. Study of the specimens of Spir- August 1921. The actual date of publication is orchis loaned by Dr. MacCallum disclosed errors unknown. At that time, The New York Zoolog- 348 Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington 349 ical Society published monthly lists of its pub- cemment (Journal of Parasitology, 1921, VII, lications. The issue of Zoopathologica, No. 6, 123), et sans autre avis, Ward suggera comme was not included in the November 1921 list and nom d'espece le nom d.'innominata; mais comme apparently was not available at that date. It was cette suggestion n'a pas etc publiee en meme included in the January 1922 list. In any event, temps qu'une description du ver, il parait prefer- it was published after the paper by Stunkard is- able de laisser le nom prevu pour cette espece, sued July 15, 1921, which has priority. type du genre Spirorchis. Les noms de Spiror- MacCallum (1922, Anat. Rec. 23:114) re- chiidae et de Spirorchiinae designeront la famille ported on North American blood-flukes. In an et la sous-famille." abstract, without descriptions or names, he listed Yamaguti (1971, Synopsis of Digenetic Trem- collections of blood-flukes from various turtles atodes of Vertebrates, Keigaku, Tokyo 1,074 from 1912 to 1921. pp.) and others for 50 years recognized the valid- Stunkard (1923, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. ity of the family Spirorchiidae Stunkard, 1921 48:165-251, issued Oct. 8, 1923) reviewed the and subfamily Spirorchiinae Stunkard, 1921. literature on the blood-infesting trematodes of However, Yamaguti (1975, A Synoptical Re- North American turtles. New genera and new view of Life Histories of Digenetic Trematodes species were described. He redescribed the species of Vertebrates. Keigaku, Tokyo 590 pp.) credited designated as Spirorchis eustreptos by Mac- the names Spirorchiidae and Spirorchiinae to Callum and figured the specimen labeled by him MacCallum, 1921. It is obvious that Yamaguti as type under the name Spirorchis innominata was unaware that the publication of the family Ward, 1921. That was an error; Ward implied, and subfamily names by Stunkard antedated that but did not make the combination, Spirorchis of MacCallum, 1921. Apparently, Yamaguti was innominata. impressed by the argument of MacCallum (1921, MacCallum (1926, Ann. d. Parasitol. 4:97-105) loc. cit.; 1926, loc. cit.) and his insistence on the repeated the record of his collections of blood- restoration of eustreptos as type of the genus flukes as reported in 1922. He noted that he (1921, Spirorchis. Actually, MacCallum was correct be- loc. cit.) had erected the genus Spirorchis, but cause, according to Stiles, "The first specific name the intended specific name, eustreptos, was omit- that is published after the generic name becomes ted. Now he redescribed Spirorchis eustreptos the type of the genus." MacCallum's (1921, loc. MacCallum, 1921 and Spirorchis emydis cit.) publication of the combination, Spirorchis MacCallum, 1921, and briefly described Spiror- eustreptos, validated the name. But credit for au- chis picta n. sp., Spirorchis chelydrae n. sp., and thorship of the family and subfamily names Spirorchis blandingi n. sp. Referring to the ac- claimed by MacCallum cannot be accepted. count by Ward (1921, loc. cit.) he declared, "Re- Proc. Helminthol. Soc. Wash. 51(2), 1984, pp. 349-351 Research Note Quantitation of Fasciola hepatica Egg Counts in Sheep ROBERT A. KNIGHT Animal Parasitology Institute, Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705 Helminth infections in ruminants are routine- Investigations of epg production and quantita- ly diagnosed by fecal egg counts. Although many tive diagnosis of Fasciola hepatica in Australian studies have correlated counts of eggs per gram sheep found that approximately one F. hepatica of feces (epg) with numbers of nematodes, few produced 33 epg (Happich and Boray, 1969, Aust. have correlated epg with numbers of trematodes. Vet. J. 45:329-331). The present paper reports Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington.