Ultrastructural studies on Setaria digitata by scaning electron microscopy

Ultrastructural details of adult male and female worms of Setaria species collected from the peritoneal cavities of bovines slaughtered in and around Hyderabad, Telangana, India were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The worms exhibited peribuccal crown with round mouth opening encircled by a pair of lateral appendages and slightly notched dorso and ventro projections at the anterior end where as bosses and fine cuticular striations were seen all over the body. Posterior end of female worm ended in a round knob with a pair of lateral appendages whereas three pairs of precloacal, a pair of adcloacal, three pairs of postcloacal papillae, a central papillae just in front of the cloaca, a single tongue shaped spicule emerging from the cloaca, and a phasmid in front of a pair of lateral appendages were seen at the posterior end of male worm. The ultrastructural details confirmed the worms as Seteria digitata.