The structure and affinities of the progenctic larva of Echinobothrium reesae Ramadevi, 1969, are described and discussed.

L'auteur décrit une nouvelle espèce du genre Echinobothrium Van Beneden 1849, provenant de la valve à spirale des pastenagues, Trygon walga, Muller et Henle et T. uarnak Muller et Henle à quelque distance de la côte de Waltair. Les détails anatomiques de la musculature et des systèmes reproductifs mâles et femelles sont donnés. Echinobothrium reesae n. sp. est comparé et séparé des autres espèces, qui ont été décrites jusqu'ici. L'absence complète des épines dorsales sur le pédoncule cépha lique et le nombre des crochets apicaux (13 + 4) sur la rostellum du scolex, justifient l'établissement de la nouvelle espèce E. reesae. Summary A new species of the genus Echinobothrium Van Beneden 1849, obtained from the spiral valve of sting rays, Trygon walga, Muller & Henle and T. uarnak Muller & Henle off Waltair coast, is described. Anatomical details of musculature, male and female repro ductive systems are furnished. Echinobothrium reesae n. sp. is compared and separated from other species hitherto described. The complete absence of the spines on the cephalic peduncle and the number of apical hooks (13 + 4) on the rostellum of the scolex, justify the establishment of the new species E. reesae.

Background: Cryptosporidiosis is an emerging zoonotic protozoan disease caused by Cryptosporidium spp. The infection was reported worldwide from domestic animals and humans, including wild animals. From India, no such reports were published on Cryptosporidium infection in captive wildlife. Hence, a pilot study was conducted to report the occurrence of Cryptosporidium infection in captive wildlife of India. Methods: Faecal samples (n=788) were collected from 127 captive wildlife species of three zoological parks viz., Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park (SVZP), Tirupati (n=242); Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP), Visakhapatnam (n=218); Nehru Zoological Park (NZP), Hyderabad (n=328) and screened for Cryptosporidium infection. Preliminary screening of faecal samples was done for the detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts by modified Ziehl-Neelsen (mZN) staining method and the test positives were confirmed by nested PCR targeting 18S rRNA gene. Nested PCR amplicons were sequenced for determining the Cryptosporidium species. The resultant data were statistically analyzed by Fisher/Chi square, Fisher Exact test using SPSS software v 17.0. Result: In mZN staining method, 7.23 percent of isolates were found to be positive for Cryptosporidium and the highest rate of infection was detected in wildlife at NZP, Hyderabad (8.23%), followed by SVZP, Tirupati (7.44%) and IGZP, Visakhapatnam (5.50%). Cryptosporidium positive faecal samples by mZN staining were further confirmed by nested PCR and positive amplicons were sequenced for determination of Cryptosporidium species. Genetic characterization revealed five species viz., Cryptosporidium parvum; C. ryanae, C. suis, C. muris and Cryptosporidium avian genotype III. The study conclude that, Cryptosporidium infection was prevalent in the captive wildlife from the zoological parks of India and species variation was marked among the wildlife. Based on the available literature, the current study is the first of its kind on the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in captive wildlife from India.

Gastrointestinal parasitism (GIP) is one of the important causes of diarrhoea in captive wildlife. Due to lack of systematic data on GIP in captive wildlife of southern parts of India, a study was conducted. Faecal samples (793) were collected from wildlife of three zoological parks, viz. Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park (SVZP), Tirupati (n=244); Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP), Visakhapatnam (n=221) and Nehru Zoological Park (NZP), Hyderabad (n=328). The collected samples were screened by faecal sedimentation and faecal flotation methods for detection of parasite ova, cysts or oocysts. An overall prevalence of GIP at 19.92% (158/793) with 16.39% (130/ 793) of helminths, 2.27% (18/793) of intestinal protozoa and 1.26% (15/793) of mixed infections were recorded. The highest prevalence of GIP was recorded in NZP (22.26%) followed by SVZP (20.90%) and IGZP (15.38%). The prevalence of GIP was observed highest in reptiles (42.31%) followed by herbivores (26.32%), carnivores (23.59%), birds (9.09%), rodents (9.09%) and primates (8.89%). Monitoring of captive wildlife at regular intervals is needed to assess the GIP to alert the zoo authorities to take up proper preventive measures.