CHAPTER XLIV
IV. PARASITES OF THE LIVER
Opisthorchis noverca, Braun, 1903
Synonyms.—Distoma conjunctum; Paropisthorchis caninus(Barker, 1912).
History.—Opisthorchis noverca was discovered by MacConnell at Calcutta in 1876. Lewis and Cunningham, who a few years previously had found a similar parasite in the liver of pariah dogs from the same locality, suggested that both their own species and MacConnell's were identical with the D. conjunctum (now called Metorchis conjunctus) found by Cobbold in the liver of an American fox (Canis fulvus) that died in London. In 1903 Braun showed that the Indian trematode belongs to a different species, and gave it the name of Opisthorchis noverca.
Fig. 163.—Opisthorchis noverca.
a, Greatly magnified; b, natural size.
(See text.)
Geographical distribution.—India.
Zoological distribution.—As stated above, it has been found in the gall-ducts of the dog (C. familiaris).
The parasite.—The description of the parasite is chiefly from the data and drawings furnished by MacConnell, and needs revision. O. noverca is of a lanceolate shape, and
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