Vol. 12, Issue 2 (2023)

Author(s):
Kaviselvi S, Das SS, Mathivathani C and Nair MG

Abstract:
The postmortem examination of an Indian rat snake (Ptyas mucosa) revealed the presence of nymphal stage of a pentastomida (Porocephalus crotali) in subcutaneous tissue near abdomen and an adult pentastomida in a lung. The parasite was identified based on morphological features as pentastomida worm. The worm’s body was cylindrical, annulated and mouth was centrally located, surrounded by 4 hooks and its egg had two shell membranes. Another nematode worm (Kalicephalus sinensis) was found in the stomach of the same snake. The spicules were thin, bent dorsally and were of equal size. The oral opening was dorsoventrally narrowed with 3 pairs of circumoral papillae and had a well-developed buccal capsule. All these parasites were probably recorded for the first time in Puducherry in rat snakes.