Hassalstrongylus epsilon (Travassos 1937)

Site of infection. small intestine

Collection number. MLP-He7344, MLP-He7349

Host species. Nectomys squamipes . CG44. Oligoryzomys nigripes . CG190

Localities. RVSU and PPU

Comments. The morphological characters observed in the specimens agree with the original description and subsequent redescriptions given by Travassos (1937) and Durette-Desset (1969), i.e. subsymmetrical caudal bursa with poorly developed dorsal lobe, very short spicules, and synlophe with 22 slightly unequal ridges.

This species was formerly described by Travassos (1937) as Longistriata epsilon . Durette-Desset (1969) later emended the description of the species based on the type of specimens housed in the Helminthological Collection of the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz and assigned Nectomys squamipes as the type host. Then Durette-Desset (1971) proposed the combination Hassalstrongylus epsilon . Subsequent reports of the species in Brazil include those of Pinto et al. (1982) in N. squamipes from the Goiás State, and Gomes et al. (2003) in N. squamipes and in A. cursor from Rio de Janeiro State.

This is the first record of this species in O.nigripes and from Argentina.