Acanthocephala anguillae (Muller, 1780) from Bronze Bream Abramis brama for the FirstTime in Britain and Ireland Together with Some Additional Records of Intestinal Parasites inA. bramaAuthor(s): Thomas BlackSource: The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 19, No. 7 (Jul., 1978), p. 251Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25538207 .

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Ir. Nat. J. Vol. 19. No. 7. 1978 251

LEPTOSYNAPTA BERGENSIS (OSTERGREN) (ECHINODERMATA: HOLOTHUROIDEA) A HOLOTHURIAN NEW TO IRELAND

Since 1974, the apodous holothurian Leptosynapta bergensis (Ostergren) has been recorded from a number of localities on the west coast of Ireland from Killary Harbour south to Inner Galway Bay. This species was not recorded by previous workers in the area nor has it been noted from other parts of Ireland. This is probably due to the difficulty in identifying apodous holothurians as remarked by Cherbonnier (1963: iNote sur Leptosynapta bergensis (Ostergren) espece critique d'holothurie apode.

Bull. Mus. nam, Hist, nat, Paris 2nd series 35(4): 439-440). L. bergensis has been recorded from Killary Harbour, Kilkieran Bay, Casla

Bay and at various sampling stations in Galway Bay. In all cases, the holothurian was found in muddy sand deposits (a 60% silt/clay) with an animal assemblage approxi

mating a Petersen-type Amphiura-Echinocardium type. From a fixed sampling station in the Inner Galway Bay densities of the holothurian were obtained using a 0.1m2 Van

Veen grab. Returns showed the holothurian occurring from 4-42 /m2. The authors wish to thank Dr E. C. Southward, Plymouth Marine Laboratory,

for checking the identification.

Department of Zoology, University College, Galway. BRENDAN O'CONNOR PETER TYNDALL

ACANTHOCEPHALA ANGUILLAE (MULLER, 1780) FROM BRONZE BREAM ABRAMIS BRAMA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND

TOGETHER WITH SOME ADDITIONAL RECORDS OF INTESTINAL PARASITES IN A. BRAMA

According to Dr D. I. Gibson (pers. comm.) the parasite Acanthocephala anguillae (phylum Platyhelminthes) has not been recorded as parasitic in A. brama in either Britain or Ireland. It has however been recorded in this fish on the continent and in a rudd /bream hybrid in Ireland. (Kane, M. B., 1966 Parasites of Irish Fishes. Sci.

Proc. R. Dub. Soc. 205-221). Four specimens of A. anguillae were discovered in the lower intestine of a

bream with the following data:- Co Fermanagh, Colebrooke River, H 346378, 4.11.76. Other parasites recorded from bream during the same survey were as follows: Acanthocephala lucii (Muller, 1776) 4 specimens, 2 from each of 2 bream

with the same data:- Co Armagh, Newry, Newry Canal. J 098230, 26.10,76,

Caryophyllaeus laticeps (Pallas, 1781) (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea) with the following data:- Co Armagh, Newry, Newry Canal. J 098230, 26.10.76.

All specimens were lodged with the Ulster Museum, Belfast. I wish to express my thanks to Dr Gibson, Parasitic Worms section, British Museum (Nat. Hist.) who

kindly identified the specimens and drew my attention to their significance. I would also like to thank Mr R Nash, Ulster Museum, Belfast, and Dr S. Irwin, Northern Ireland

Polytechnic, for their invaluable assistance during my survey.

Faculty of Biology, N. Ireland Polytechnic, Jordanstown, Co Antrim.

THOMAS BLACK

CITTOTAENIA PECTINATA (CESTODA: ANOPLOCEPHALIDAE) IN A WILD RABBIT FROM CO KERRY

Twenty-two mature specimens of Cittotaenia pectinata (Goeze, 1782), one of

them containing an abnormal incompletely developed third ovary in several proglottids, and two immature cestodes were recovered from a rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus shot at

Tuosist, Co Kerry (V 8063) in September 1969. This species is the most widely distribu ted adult tapeworm in wild rabbits in Britain and occurs in about 25% of the population (Mead-Briggs, A. R. and Page, R. J. C. (1975) L Helminth. 49: 49-56), though since the

dramatic reductions in rabbit numbers caused by myxomatosis it may be absent locally (Boag, B. (1972) /, Helminth. 46: 73-79). In Ireland it has previously been recorded from rabbits by O'Bryen Bellingham in 1844 (Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. 14: 318; as Taenia

pectinata), and from both rabbit and hare Lepus timidus by P.- J. Hayward in 1969

(Mullet 1969: cyclostyled report of the Reading University Zoology Society expedition to the Mullet peninsula). While no data are available on its prevalence here it is clear at least that the species has survived the advent of myxomatosis.

The specimens have been deposited in the National Museum, Dublin.

28 Hatch Lane, Dublin 2. A. B. WEST

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