Some new data on the morphology of the nematode Lappetascaris lutjani Rasheed, 1965 (Nematoda: Anisakidae).

The nematode, Lappetascaris lutjani, recovered from the fish, Pellona ditchela from West Bengal, India, was studied by light and scanning electron microscopes. Surface features of the head and tail ends of the body as also the distal parts of the spicules were described, illustrated and discussed with regard to the available data relative to this species. Present LM studies provide information concerning the head structure in greater detail and existence of narrow but distinct lateral cervical alae. SEM studies give microtopographic details of the worm. Some of these represent new information and might be useful in the taxonomic evaluation of this interesting nematode. P. ditchela is the recorded new host of L. lutjani.