The Animal Parasites of ManFantham, Harold Benjamin
Science
The Animal Parasites of Man
Fantham, Harold Benjamin
Medical parasitology
The body is of a faint reddish-brown colour and plump oval shape. The
ventral surface a little flattened; 7·5 to 12 mm. in length, 4 to 6 mm.
in breadth, and 3·5 to 5 mm. thick (in man). The oral sucker (0·75 mm.)
is subterminal; the ventral sucker (0·8 mm.) somewhat in front of the
middle of the body. Pharynx spherical, 0·3 mm. in diameter, or 0·4 by
0·3 mm.; œsophagus, 0·02 mm.; intestinal cæca convoluted, asymmetrical,
the first part having the same structure as the œsophagus. The cuticle
is covered with spines in groups; the excretory pore opens at the
posterior end rather on the ventral surface, the excretory ducts open
into the elongated bladder at the hind end near the pore. Genital pore
behind the ventral sucker and median. Genital sinus 0·2 mm. long with
thick wall, ejaculatory duct 0·13 mm., pars prostatica 0·2 mm., seminal
vesicle duct-like of irregular outline. Behind the sucker the ovary
on the left, and the closely packed uterine coil on the right (though
amphitypy of these two organs is common); the two irregularly lobed
testes lie side by side posteriorly. Vitellaria extensive, leaving only
a median dorsal and ventral space free. Seminal receptacle probably
absent; Laurer’s canal present. The eggs are oval, brownish-yellow,
fairly thin shelled, and measure on an average 81·2 µ by 49·2 µ.
[Illustration: FIG. 149.--_Paragonimus ringeri_, Cobb.: to the right,
dorsal aspect; to the left, ventral aspect. Natural size. (After
Katsurada.)]
[Illustration: FIG. 150.--_Paragonimus ringeri_, Cobb.: diagram of
the internal organs. _a_, œsophagus; _b_, vitellaria (a portion only
shown); _c_, common genital duct; _d_, shell gland with oviduct,
Laurer’s canal and vitelline duct; _e_, ovary; _f_, vitelline
receptacle; _g_, excretory pore; _h_, oral sucker; _i_, pharynx; _k_,
gut; _l_, ventral sucker; _m_, uterine coils; _n_, vitellarian ducts;
_o_, vas efferens; _p_, testis. (After Kubo.)]
[Illustration: FIG. 150A.--_Paragonimus westermanii_, Kerb.: seen from
the ventral surface. Mouth, pharynx, intestinal cæca, at the sides
of which the vitellaria are observed. The genital pore is behind the
ventral sucker, and next to it, on the left, the ovary; on the right,
the uterus; the two testes posteriorly; the excretory vessel in the
middle, 10/1. (After Leuckart.)]
The following species are also known:--_P. westermanii_, Kerb., 1878,
in the tiger, and _P. kellicotti_, Ward, 1908, in the pig, dog, and
cat (N. America). Ward and Hirsch give the following differences
between the spines of the three forms:--
_P. ringeri._ _P. westermanii._ _P. kellicotti._
Shape Chisel-shaped, Lancet-shaped, Chisel-shaped,
moderately heavy. very slender. heavy.
Distribution Circular rows, in Circular rows, Circular rows,
groups. in groups. singly.
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