New records of the giant Trematodes of the genus Hirudinella Garcin from Indian waters

Abstract

In the course of the examination of the stomach contents of certain Scombroid fishes Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus), Neothunnus macropterus (Temminck & Schlegel), Euthynnus affinis affinis (Cantor) and Acanthocybium solandri (Cuvier & Valenciennes) from Minicoy and Tuticorin, I was able to collect several specimens of the so-called giant trematodes belonging to the genus Hirudinella (Digenea-Family Hemiuridae). These have not hitherto been definitely recorded from Indian waters, though Rao (1960) mentions about the parasites resembling Distomum sp. from the stomachs oi Acanthocybium solandri from Vizhingam.