On cestodes of passer domesticus II. Anonchotaenia and Mathevotaenia.

This part includes the account of Anonchotaenia globata (LINSTOW, 1879) and its embryo, and of Mathevotaenia ornithis sp. nov.--Anonchotaenia globata is know to be a parasite of Passer domesticus in foreign countries. The writers record it for the first time in India in this bird. This species is also known from other birds, but not so far recorded even in other birds in India. VOGE and DAVIS (1953), METTRICK (1958) and MAHON (1958) previously studied this species. The present study contributes additional data to the morphology of this species. Variations in the number of testes, extent of cirrus sac, and position of genital pore have been recorded. A definite neck has been found. Calcareous corpuscles, occurrence of which is not on record in this species, have been found in the present material. Paruterine organ, to which previous workers paid scant attention, has been studied in detail. It is a complex three-layered structure. Eggs undergo development upto the formation of embryos while they are still in the uterus, and subsequently they all pass into the paruterine organ which is found teeming with embryonated eggs. Eggs are quite characteristic in shape. Two coverings are found around the embryos: the outer one, the shell capsule, is spindle-shaped and cornuted; the hexacanth enclosed in a membrane is housed in the dilated middle part of the shell capsule. Hexacanth is an elongated structure with a dilated middle part and not a uniform width. Hence the term "nematodiform" embryo used for it is rather inappropriate. Three pairs of hooks are present in the dilated middle part of the embryo. WOODLAND (1929) and METTRICK (1958) denied the existence of the hooks.--Mathevotaenia ornithis sp. nov. is the first species of the genus Mathevotaenia AKHUMIAN, 1946 that has been described from an avian host, other species are known from mammalian hosts. Amongst the mammalian species, the present form comes close to Mathevotaenia deserti (MILLEMANN, 1955) and M. hardoiensis JOHRI, 1961, but differs from either in several features. This species is chiefly characterized by the number and distribution of testes, bilobed ovary, genital ducts passing between the excretory canals, vitellarium V-shaped, and cirrus sac extending aporally beyond the excretory canals. Besides, the bearing of the receptaculum seminis on the taxonomy of the genera Mathevotaenia AKHMUIAN, 1946 and Atriotaenia SANDGROUND, 1926 has been discussed, and an amendment in the generic delineation has been suggested for these genera.--Systematic position of Mathevotaenia antrozoi (VOGE, 1954) YAMAGUTI, 1959 has been discussed and the species has been assigned to Atriotaenia.