Rhabdias bufonis (Rhabdiasidae) from the lung of the African common toad, Amietophrynus regularis (Bufonidae) in Egypt. New data on the basis of light and scanning electron microscopic study

Background and Aims. Rhabdias bufonis (Rhabdiasidae) is one of the highly pathogenic nematode parasites infecting the lung of amphibians. The present study provides the morphological description of this nematode isolated from the lung of the African common toad, Amietophrynus regularis collected from its natural habitat; the damp, moist fields and gardens at Giza governorate, Egypt. The description was based on the data obtained from light and scanning electron microscopic examination. Methods. Forty specimens of the examined animals were collected during the period from March to August 2017. At necropsy, the toads were dissected ventrally from the cloacae region to the anterior end and all organs were examined searching for helminthes using a stereomicroscope. Results. Of 40 examined specimens 14 (35%) were found to harbor a large number of this parasite. All the recovered worms were females and measuring 3.22-9.86 mm long and 0.09-0.048 mm wide at mid body. The anterior end was blunted while the posterior one was tapered. The body was covered by a delicate inflation of the cuticle strongly folded on its surface. Conclusions. The SEM study presented new details regarding the cephalic end of this nematode which was not identified in the previous studies, of them, a slit-like mouth surrounded by two pairs of lateral papillae and two amphids. Also, three pairs of cuticular inflation supporting the area around mouth opening were observed