Filarial parasites (Nematoda: Filarioidea) of Australian animals.

Abstract

Three species of filarial worms are known from bats: an unrecognized species recorded by Johnston from Pteropus poliocephalus (Pteropodidae); Litomosa miniopteri, sp. nov., from Miniopterus schreibersii (Vespertilionidae); and an undescribed species, possibly of Chiropterofilaria, from Tadarida loriae (Molossidae). In rodents, Dipetalonema lutreoli, sp. nov., is described from Rattus lutreolus, and unidentified microfilariae recorded from Melomys cervinipes, M. lutillus littoralis, and Uromys caudimaculatus, all Muridae. The species of which adults are known from marsupials are distributed in four genera, namely, Breinlia (7 species), Dirofilaria (2 species, one unnamed), Johnstonema (1 species), and Dipetalonema (4 species). The microfilariae of Dirofilaria roemeri, Dipetalonema capilliforme, Dipetalonema dasyuri, and Breinlia ?spelaea are described, and additional notes given on those of Breinlia thylogali and Dipetalonema johnstoni. Unidentified microfilariae are recorded from Trichosurus vulpecula and Osphranter robustus. The only species known from a monotreme is an undescribed species of Dipetalonema in the echidna, Tachyglossus aculeatus (Tachyglossidae). Eleven genera have been found in birds: Aprocta (with 3 species), Diomedenema (1), Diplotriaena (6), Eulimdana (1), Hamatospiculum (4), Mawsonfilaria (1), Paralemdana ( 1 ), Pseudaprocta (1), Pseudaproctella ( 2 ), Serratospiculum (3), Squamofilaria (1). At least 55 species of birds harbour in their blood microfilariae which have not yet been correlated with adults.