Oligacanthorhynchus

Oligacanthorhynchus is a genus of parasitic worms belonging to the family Oligacanthorhynchidae. ==Taxonomy== Phylogenetic analysis has been conducted on one of the species in the genus, O.tortuosa.

==Description== The trunk is cylindrical and smooth or irregularly ringed. The proboscis is generally globular being somewhat longer than it is wide and has stout hooks in left handed spiral rows, with their point obliquely cut and their root produced forwards. The proboscis receptacle consists of a thick inner wall i inserted into inside of proboscis which is shrinks along the ventral side, and a thinner outer wall inserted at base of neck. A series of intercommunicating spaces branching from two median main vessels and numerous longitudinal and circular anastomoses in the hypodermis form the lacunar system. Protonephridia are present. The lemnisci are filiform with a central canal and numerous nuclei. In the far posterior of the male, there are testes and eight cement glands used to temporarily close the posterior end of the female after copulation. The eggs are almost spherical with shells that are radially striated. Hosts include birds with snakes being the intermediate hosts. ==Species== There are 33 known species in the genus Oligacanthorhynchus. Oligacanthorhynchus aenigma (Reichensperger, 1922) Oligacanthorhynchus atratus (Meyer, 1931) Oligacanthorhynchus bangalorensis (Pujatti, 1951) Oligacanthorhynchus carinii (Travassos, 1917)