On two schistosomes of wild rodents of the Belgian Congo: Schistosoma rodhaini ; and Schistosoma mansoni var. Rodentorum ; and their relationship to S. mansoni of man

Abstract

Two sehistosomes of wild rodents that make use of planorbid snails, are believed to be closely related to S. mansoni of man. One of these, S. rodhaini Brumpt, 1931, is confined to wild rodents, but has a subterminal egg spine, and is definitely related to S. mansoni. The other, S. mansoni var. rodentorum Schwetz, 1953, likewise is confined to wild rodents, but has a lateral egg spine. It is suggested that this is the true ancestral form from which the human S. mansoni evolved, and that nomenclatorial rules force it to be named as a variety of the sp., not the basic form of the sp.