Three Nematode Species Recovered from Terrestrial Snakes in Republic of Korea

The majority of parasitological studies of terrestrial snakes in Korea have focused on zoonotic parasites. However, in the present study, we describe 3 unrecorded nematode species recovered from 5 species of snakes (n=6) in Korea. The examined snakes, all confiscated from illegal hunters, were donated by the Chungnam Wild Animal Rescue Center and Korean Broadcasting System in July 2014 and February 2015. Light and scanning electron microscopies on the shapes of spicules that are either bent or straight (kalicephalids) and the presence of the intestinal cecum (ophidascarids) figured out 3 nematodes; Kalicephalus brachycephalus Maplestone, 1931, Kalicephalus sinensis Hsü, 1934, and Ophidascaris excavata Hsü and Hoeppli, 1934. These 3 species of nematode faunas are recorded for the first time in Korea.

New host and locality records of snake intestinal nematode Kalicephalus spp in Indonesia

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe three species of Kalicephalus found in three species of snake (Ophiophagus hannah, Ptyas mucosus, and Naja Sputatrix) during research on Capture Snake for Trading in Java and Snake Biodiversity in Kalimantan Islands.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Specimens for light microscopy examination were fixed with warm 70% alcohol, cleared and mounted in lactophenol for wet mounting. Drawings were made with the aid of a drawing tube attached to a Nikon compound microscope. Measurements were given in micrometers (µ) as the average of findings, followed by the range in parentheses, unless otherwise stated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Kalicephalus (Costatus) indicus was found from 7 Ptyas mucosus, Kalicephalus bungari from 2 Naja sputatrix and 1 Kalicephalus (Costatus) indicus and Kalicephalus assimilis found from 1 Ophiophagus hannah. The morphology and measurement of three species of Kalicephalus found in this study were close to those described before.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>New finding of host of Kalicephalus (Costatus) indicus and Kalicephalus bungari was a snake species of Naja sputatrix. New records of locality were Kalimantan island as the new locality of Kalicephalus assimilis, and Java island was new locality of Kalicephalus (Costatus) indicus.</p>

New host and locality records of snake intestinal nematode Kalicephalus spp in Indonesia

Objective:To observe three species ofKalicephalus found in three species of snake (Ophiophagus hannah, Ptyas mucosus, andNaja Sputatrix) during research on Capture Snake for Trading in Java and Snake Biodiversity in Kalimantan Islands.Methods: Specimens for light microscopy examination were fixed with warm70% alcohol, cleared and mounted in lactophenol for wet mounting. Drawings were made with the aid of a drawing tube attached to a Nikon compound microscope. Measurements were given in micrometers (μ) as the average of findings, followed by the range in parentheses, unless otherwise stated.Results:Kalicephalus (Costatus) indicus was found from7Ptyas mucosus, Kalicephalus bungarifrom2Naja sputatrixand1 Kalicephalus (Costatus)indicusandKalicephalusassimilis found from1Ophiophagus hannah. The morphology and measurement of three species ofKalicephalus found in this study were close to those described before.Conclusions:New finding of host ofKalicephalus (Costatus)indicus and Kalicephalus bungari was a snake species ofNaja sputatrix. New records of locality were Kalimantan island as the new locality ofKalicephalusassimilis, and Java island was new locality ofKalicephalus (Costatus)indicus.