Abstract

The genus Diaphanocephalus was erected by Diesing in 1851 to contain certain species included in Rudolphi's Synopsis in the old genus Strongylus. The species in question were Strongylus galeatus Rud., 1819, re-named Diaphanocephalus strongyloides by Diesing, and subsequently indicated as the type-species of the genus; S. costatus; and possible S. viperae Rud., which Diesing listed as a species inquirenda. In deciding upon the necessity for the new genus Diesing seems to have been influenced largely by the characters of the head. His diagnosis shows that he considered the supporting rays of the buccal capsule to be four only in number, regarding two of these as divided each into two distinct processes. Molin (1861) gave an emended diagnosis of Diesing's genus and proposed the new genus Kalicephalus for certain other strongyle parasites in reptiles. It has already been pointed out (Baylis and Daubney) that the generic characters used by Molin are unreliable and that Railliet and Henry (1909) were justified in abolishing Kalicephalus in favour of the older genus, Diaphanocephalus. Recently, Skrjabin (1916) has given a diagnosis of the genus. Through the kindness of Dr H. A. Baylis the writer has been able to examine specimens in the collection of the British Museum (Natural History), and the Wellcome Bureau of Scientific Research. The material examined includes four specimens of the genus Diaphanocephalus.

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