AN UNRECORDED NEMATODE PARASITE OF THE
         INDIAN DOMESTIC PIGEON WITH REMARKS
                     ON ORNITHOSTRONGYLOSIS

                                          BY

                   HAR DAYAL SRIVASTAVA, D.Sc.

                      Helminthologist (On special duty)

Imperial Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteswar-Kumaun.

               (Received for publication on 26th May 1938)

                                 (With three text-figures)

THE nematode genus Ornithostrongylus is referable to the subfamily
Trichostrongylinae [Leiper, 1908] of the family Trichostrongylidae [Leiper,
1912]. The genus was created by Travassos in 1914 with O . fariai, as the
type species. The genus is exclusively parasitic in the intestine, gizzard
and proventriculus of birds, and apparently has a cosmopolitan distribu-
tion. So far more than half a dozen species have been described under the
genus, some of doubtful validity, but the most important from the veterinary
point of view is Ornithostrongylus quadriradiatus [Stevenson, 1904] which
usually occurs in the small intestine of the domestic pigeon— Columba livia
domestica—and certain species of doves. The only previously recorded re-
presentative of the genus from an Indian host is O. travassossi which has been
described by Maplestone [ 1932 ] from the gizzard of the coral-billed pigeon—
Chalcophaps indica—from the Zoological Garden, Calcutta. The author does
not compare his new species with O. quadriradiatus, but according to Baylis
[ 1936 ] his form differs from the latter species in its smaller size, the greater
length of the externo-dorsal rays, the shape of the accessory piece and the
smaller size of the egg.

Stevenson [ 1904] attributed the destruction of the greater portion of
a flock of ' fancy' pigeons in Washington to the presence of a large number
of a nematode parasite which he described as Strongylus quadriradiatus.
Le Roux [1926 and 1930 ] reported similar losses in a flock of valuable im-
ported pigeons in South Africa due to the presence of these parasites.
Vigueras [ 1929 ] and Komarov and Beaudette [ 1931 ] described the patho-
logy and symptoms in cases of heavy infestations. The occurrence of this
parasite in pigeons has been reported from several places in the United States
of America, and in Australia by Roberts [ 1932 ] and in Brazil by Travassos
[ 1931 ]. Besides pigeons, certain species of doves in U. S. S. R. and Montana
have also been reported to harbour the parasite. During the year 1936-37
a number of domestic pigeons belonging to the Institute died in quick succes-
sion. On post mortem examination all of them were found to be heavily
infested with very slender nematodes which conformed in all their important-
features to the following diagnosis of 0. quadriradiatus :

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