REEVALUATION OF PHYSALOPTERA-BISPICULATA (NEMATODA, SPIRUROIDAEA) BY LIGHT AND SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY

This study was undertaken to clarify several aspects of morphological and taxonomic characters of Physaloptera bispiculata Vaz and Pereira, 1935, a parasite of the water rat, Nectomys squamipes. The cephalic st ructures (including lips, papillae, teeth, amphids, and porous areas) and details of the posterior end of male and female adult worms were e xamined by scanning electron microscopy, leading to the addition of ne w taxonomic characters for this species. We consider P. bispiculata a valid species, based on a comparative analysis of the specific charact ers for P. bispiculata and P. getula Seurat, 1917, including the morph ology and morphometry of body structures as well as number and disposi tion of caudal papillae of the males.