Sphaerechinorhynchus ophiograndis n. sp. (Acanthocephala:Plagiorhynchidae:Sphaerechinorhynchinae), described from the intestine of a king cobra, Ophiophagus hannah.

Six acanthocephalan specimens of an undescribed species of Sphaerechinorhynchus Johnston and Deland, 1929, were found attached to the mucosal surface of the proximal small intestine of a legally imported king cobra, Ophiophagus hannali (Cantor, 1836). These specimens are described as Sphaerechinorhynchus ophiograndis n. sp., the third species of the genus from snakes native to the Indo-Australian region, and the second species described from adults in the king cobra. Sphaerechinorhynchus ophiograndis n. sp. differs from Sphaerechinorhynchus serpenticola Schmidt and Kuntz, 1966 and Sphaerechinorhynchus rotun docapitus (Johnston, 1912) Johnston and Deland. 1929, by differences in proboscis and hook morphology, lemniscus length and appearance, testes presentation, number of cement glands, and, additionally from S. ronundocapitus, by overall trunk size and location of attachment within the host species.