THE TAXONOMY OF DIPETALONEMA SPIROCAUDA (LEIDY, 1858) N. COMB. (=SKRJABINARIA SPIROCAUDA) AND DIROFILARIA ROEMERI (LINSTOW, 1905) N. COMB. (=DIPETALONEMA ROEMERI)

Abstract

Filarioid nematodes from Phoca vitulina are described and assigned to Filaria spirocauda Leidy. Specimens from Callorhinus ursinus are close to F. spirocauda but their identity remains in doubt. F. spirocauda is shown to belong to Dipetalonema. Lubimov's (1927) description of F. spirocauda as Skrjabinaria spirocauda is invalid since his female specimen was a metastrongyle. Skrjabinaria falls, therefore, as a synonym of Dipetalonema. Skrjabinaria heteromorpha is a synonym of D. spirocauda. A literature review reveals no authentic record of Dirofilaria immitis in seals other than Zalophus californianus. D. fausti is a synonym of D. immitis. D. spirocauda (Leidy) n. comb, is similar to weissi, sunci, and vite but the male lacks terminolateral, wing-like appendages and bands of rod-like, cuticular structures on the ventral surface of the caudal extremity. Specimens in the U.S. National Museum (No. 45953) have been chosen as types.Dirofilaria roemeri (= Dipetalonema roemeri) is described from specimens from a kangaroo (probably Macropus major) of Queensland, Australia. It differs from other Dirofilaria mainly in its unusually small spicules, and its smooth cuticle with lateral alae. The binomial Filaria websteri Cobbold, 1879 is regarded as a nomen nudum.