Dr. Éva Murai szerk.: Miscellanea Zoologica Hungarica 4. 1987 (Budapest, 1987)
Raina, M. K., Sey, O.; Khan, M. D.: Paramphistomes (Trematoda: Amphistomida) of domestic ruminants in Kashmir, India
type (Fig. 17) of acetabulum (Sensu SEY, 1983) with circular units far less than the Gastrothylax type, being in the present specimens as: D. E. C. = 45-65; D. I. C. = 35-46; V.E.C.= 45-68; and V. I. C.= 30-46. The genital opening is of a Gracile type (Fig. 18). So far four species of G astrothylax , namely, G. crumenifer (Creplin, 1847), G. orien tális Bambroo, 1970, G. glandiformis Yamaguti, 1939 and G. i ndicus Dutt, 1978 have been reported from Kashmir. G. glandiformis and G. indicus have been synonymised by SEY (1983) with G. compressus which is also followed here. G. orientális has been created on minor individual variations. It resembles G. compressus in all its features and the number of circular muscle units also approaches that of the acetabulum of G. compressus. Therefore, the authors have no hesitaion in treating G. orientális as a synonym of G. compressus. In the end It Is remarked that there is still a lot of confusion regarding the correct identification of many other paramphistomes from the Indian region and a through investigation is needed to bring out the correct picture. ZOOGEOGRAPHICAL NOTE ON PARAMPHISTOMES OF KASHMIR The Kashmir valley (lat. 33°-35°N: longt. 73°-78°E: area 15120 sq. km) is of an irregular oval shape situated north of the Pirpanchal Himalayas above the altitude of 1700 m. The climate is temperate-cum-mediterranean with an average mean maximum temperature of 6. 6°C during winter and an average mean maximum temperature of 28. 9°C during summer (J and K. D.O. S, 1982)*. A natural consequence of all these factors is the prevalence of a number of grass-lands, meadows and pastures in the valley, which according to a livestock census (J and K, Live-stock Census, 1982)** support roughly a population of 79 140 goats, 889 880 sheep and 1 103 703 bovines. Most of these domestic ruminants are sent to low altitude grasslands and meadows for grazing in spring and later in summer they go to high altitude pastures and return before the advent of winter. It is in these grazing areas where the intermediate hosts-snails abound, and where the domestic ruminants are prone to get the infection of paramphistomes. The buffaloes, however, are brought from the Jammu region of J and K State during spring and summer for grazing and are then taken back to the warmer areas of the State. Therefore, it needs further investigation whether their amphistome infection is exclusively from local sources or from parts other than Kashmir or both. However, due to the presence of similar infection in most of the other domestic ruminants, it seems that the infection may be mostly local. The species composition of paramphistomes presently investigated seems to be mostly oriental, for example, Paramphistomum epiclitum, P. gracile, Gastrothylax crumenifer, G. compressus and Calicophoron papillosum , which according to SEY and ESLAMI (1982) are oriental. Orthocoelium dicranocoelium and O. gigantopharynx are Indo-Malayan. O. indo nesiense, described so far from Indonesia only is being reported from Kashmir. O. dinniki has been reported from the Philippines, China and Japan and the present finding shows that its range of distribution can be up to Kashmir or it is equally possible that it was introduced because lot of domestic animals are imported into the valley of Kashmir from many parts of India and abroad. Life cycle studies are needed to find out the endemic areas of infection in the valley. Olveria indica seems to be an exclusively Indian form and has not been recorded in any other country until now. Calicophoron calicoph orum, however, has a wide distribution in Asia, Australia (probably introduced), Africa and some parts of America. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors are thankful to Dr. E. FISCHER, Department of Zoology, Janus Pannonius University, Pécs, for providing facilities. The first author expresses his gratitude to Jammu and Kashmir Directorate of Economics and Statistics Planning and Development Department. Digest of Statistics (1982). 'Jammu and Kashmir Directorate of Economics and Statistics Planning and Development Department. Live-stock Census, (1982).
