The Oxyurid Nematodes of Rodents I. The Genus Citellina Prendel

Abstract

vulgaris at Peiping; C. alpina Jettmar and Anschau, 1951, from Arctonmys mlariota (= Marmota nmarmota L.) in the Austrian Alps; and C. alatail Spasski, Rjikov and Sudarikov, 1950, from Marniota men.bieri in European Russia. Study of the descriptions of these species reveals some rather interesting differences. Prendel (1928) reported that C. dispar possessed a long thin spicule and a gubernaculuml while Manter reported that C. mnarmotae from the American woodchuck possessed a spicule but no gubernaculum. Shulz described C. petrowi as having a spicule and a gubernaculum and differentiated it from C. dispar Prendel by its possession of a spicule which was about 1/6 of the length of that described for the type species of the genus. In Oxyurtis triradiata Hall described and figured a short stout spicule resembling that structure which Prendel referred to as the gubernaculum in C. dispar. Hall did not describe a gubernaculum in Oxyltris triradiata. The various authors of the species names C. levini, C. alpina, and C. alatant have reported both a spicule and gubernaculum to be present in their materials and have differentiated their species from C. miarmotae Manter and C. triradiata (Hall) primarily on these grounds. In an abstract Dubinina (1947) listed C. dispar Prendel as a synonymll of C. triradiata (Hall). Through the kindness of Dr. Robert Rausch a sizable collection of oxyurids from Alaskan marmots and ground squirrels has become available. In addition I have collected a considerable amount of material from ground squirrels in the \estern U. S. and from woodchucks in the Eastern U. S. Careful study of the Citellina in this collection has convinced me that only a single species of Citellina is represented. In order to determine more exactly the status of C. marmotae Manter and C. triradiata (Hall) the type specimens of these species were borrowed from the U. S. National Museum. Appreciation is expressed to Dr. E. W. Price who made these and some other pertinent collections available for study and to Dr. David E. Davis, Dr. Marietta Voge, and Mr. William Reeder who abetted my collecting of marmots and ground squirrels in the United States. OBSERVATIONS