STUDIES ON NEW DIGENEAN TREMATODE OF THE GENUS ORIENTOCREADIUM TUBANGI, 1931 PARASITIZING FRESH WATER FISH, CHANNA PUNCTATA (BLOCH.)

Abstract

Trematode infections occur worldwide. Trematodes, also called flukes, cause various clinical infections in humans. The parasites are so named because of their conspicuous suckers, the organs of attachment (trematos means "pierced with holes"). The present research deals with the detailed description and study of new species Orientocreadium punctatum Sp. Nov. found in the stomach and intestine of Channa punctata (Bloch) from Aurangabad, Osmanabad, Ahmednagar district of M.S. India during Feb., 2005 - Jan., 2007. The present species is comes closer to all the known species of the genus 3 Orientocreadium in having general topography of organs but differs due to elongated, and non-spinose body, sub terminal and spherical oral sucker, Ventral sucker rounded, Pre- pharynx absent, Pharynx muscular, oval, Oesophagus short, genital pore pre-acetabular, testes unequal, post-ovarian, cirrus pouch crescent shaped, ovary oval, pre-testicular, large, behind oral sucker, receptaculum seminis absent, eggs elongated, oval and non-operculated.