Ascaridoid nematodes of amphibians and reptiles: Sulcascaris

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Abstract
The genus Sulcascaris is upheld and redefined. Sulcascaris sulcata from Chelonia mydas and Caretta caretta is redescribed, from Rudolphi's type material and material from the Mediterranean and Western Pacific, demonstrating that the excretory pore opens between the subventral lips and that the excretory cell is bilateral, comprising a short filamentar right component and a more capacious ribbon-like left component containing the nucleus. The phylogenetic significance of this form of excretory system occurring in an ascaridoid of a marine reptile is discussed. It is concluded from comparative studies, based on measurements, sections and electron scanning micrographs, that fourth stage larvae of S. sulcata collected from the stomach of turtles are identical with fourth stage ascaridoid larvae found in the adductor muscle of scallops (Amusium balloti and Chlamys sp.) and that turtles become infected with this species by eating bivalves. Adult S. sulcata were obtained from tank-reared C. caretta fed with encapsulated larvae from scallops.