A NEW SPECIES OF STRIGEA ABILDGAARD, 1790 (DIGENEA: STRIGEIDAE) IN CATTLE EGRET (BUBULCUS IBIS LINN.) FROM SINDH, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Strigea brayi n.sp. was obtained from the small intestine of cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis Linn.) from Sindh, Pakistan. The trematodes were present in four hosts. This new species is characterized by a small body which includes a forebody and a hindbody. The tegment is without spines or tubercles. Tribocytic oral bilobed, oral sucker small, pharynx slightly smaller than oral sucker, caeca reaching posterior end of body, ventral sucker in posterior half of forebody, ovary roughly oval, testes in middle of hindbody. Vitellaria confined to lateral fields of hindbody reaching up to caecal end, copulatory bursa large, eggs oval and large in size. Specific differences between S. brayi n.sp. and other species of the genus include body size, egg size, body shape and position of various structures. Species comparasions are included