Ortleppascaris

González, Cynthya Elizabeth & Hamann, Monika Inés, 2007, Nematode parasites of two species of Chaunus (Anura: Bufonidae) from Corrientes, Argentina, Zootaxa 1393, pp. 27-34 : 32

Ortleppascaris sp. (Larvae) ( Figs. 4–5 )

Description

Based on 13 specimens. Body 8.06± 0.75 mm (7.05–9.30) long and 184.68±17.44 (140.3–210) wide, with cuticle almost smooth. Lateral cuticular alae well developed, extending from the level of nerve ring to level of rectum. Cephalic end rounded, bearing small ventral larval tooth. Esophagus narrow, 796.5±131.41 (537.5– 975) long and 43.32±7.04 (30–50) wide. Nerve ring encircling esophagus 216.03±15.72 (186.5–246) from anterior extremity. Excretory pore just posterior to nerve ring 237.06±32.52 (192–294). Anterior intestinal caecum narrow, exceeding half of esophagus length; length of caecum 521.38±98.21 (350–725), its width 34.72±5.44 (25–41.4). Tail conical, 108.68±9.20 (96.6–126.5) long, sharply pointed.

Remarks

In South America these larvae have been reported previously in the liver of Leptodactylus bufonius (Leptodactylidae) from Corrientes, Argentina, by González and Hamann (2006a). Adult nematodes of Ortleppascaris parasitize the intestinal tract of crocodiles; in South America being reported in the Paraguayan caiman , Caiman yacare (Alligatoridae) ( Goldberg et al. 1991), in Caiman sclerops and Crocodylus intermedius from Venezuela and, in Caiman crocodilus (Crocodylidae) from Brazil ( Campana­Rouget 1960; Sprent 1978).

The specimens described by these authors differ from those described in the present study in that they are of greater size (total length: 5–12 mm; width: 144–234; length of esophagus: 480–1150 and nerve ring to anterior extremity: 210–282).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Nematodes parasites of Chaunus fernandezae and Chaunus bergi from Argentina. 1. Cosmocerca podicipinus, male, spicules, gubernaculum, adanals papillaes and unpaired papillae on anterior lip of anus, ventral view. 2. C. parva, bulb, details of valves. 3. C. parva, male, spicules, gubernaculum, adanals papillaes and unpaired papillae on anterior lip of anus, ventral view. 4. Ortleppascaris sp. (larvae), anterior end of body, dorsal view. 5. Ortleppascaris sp. (larvae), tail, lateral view. 6. Physaloptera sp. (larvae), anterior end of body, ventral view. 7. Physaloptera sp. (larvae), tail, lateral view. (Scale bar figures: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7: 50 µm; figure 4: 200 µm).