A NEW CAPILLARIID, PARACAPILLARIA (OPHIDIOCAPILLARIA) NAJAE N.SP. (NEMATODA, TRICHUROIDEA), FROM AN ELAPID SNAKE IN WEST-BENGAL, INDIA

Paracapillaria (Ophidiocapillaria) najae n. sp. is described from spec imens from the oesophagus of a single snake, Naja naja (fam. Elapidae) , caught from a garden at Kalyani, West Bengal, India. It is character ised by possessing: a medium body size; sinuous muscular oesophagus; s tichosome consisting of distinctly subannulated stichocytes (30-48 in number); male tail having a membranous bursa supported by two wide lat eral rays with bluntly pointed distal ends and not reaching to the pos terior margin of the bursa; long spicule with spatula-like extension o f the proximal extremity; spicular surface transversely marked; non-sp inous but transversely folded spicular sheath; vulval lips non-elevate d or only anterior lip slightly elevated; and oval eggs with protrudin g polar plugs. This represents the first record of a capillariid worm from a snake of the family Elapidae.