Porrocaecum Reticulatum (Linstow, 1899) (Nematoda: Ascaridoidea) From Some Aquatic Birds in Iraq

Abstract

Thirty-two waterfowl were collected from marshes in southern Iraq and examined for infection with Porrocaecum sp. nematodes. The nematodes were fixed in 70% ethanol, the lactophenol used to clear the internal characteristics and examined by light microscope and scanning electron microscope. Five of 32 water birds were found to be infected with Porrocaecum nematodes. Porrocaecum reticulatum was isolated from the little egret (Egretta garzetta L.), the purple heron (Ardea purpurea L.) and the night heron Nycticorax nycticorax from aquatic bird hosts belonging to the family Ardeidae for the first time in Iraq.
The new species in the current study  corresponds with its congeners globally diagnosed and found some differences as a short medial ditch on each lip, a very sharp anterior extension between the labia, unequal papillae on the dorsal lip due to the fusion of two primitive papillae, oesophagus is aslightly broader in posteriorly than  anterior.The ventriculus is rectangular, its length is greater  than its  width., and a slender, conical and slightly curved tail in males and a longer tail in females.