STRONGYLOIDES-SPEAREI N-SP (NEMATODA, STRONGYLOIDIDAE) FROM THE COMMON WOMBAT VOMBATUS-URSINUS (MARSUPIALIA, VOMBATIDAE)

Strongyloides spearei n. sp. is described from the small intestine of the common wombat Vombatus ursinus from Healesville, Victoria. The new species is distinguished from all known congeners by: the triangular shape of the stoma and the length of the parasitic female; the blunt s picules in the free-living male; and the presence of eggs in the faece s of the host. S. spearei and S. thylacis Mackerras, 1959 form a separ ate group within Strongyloides based on both species infecting marsupi als, having directly recurrent ovaries in the parasitic female and hav ing blunt-spicules in the free-living male. The histological localisat ion of S. spearei is predominantly within the crypts of the small inte stine.