Morphological characters of Setaria sp. collected from cattle and buffaloes were studied. Three species Setaria digitata, Setaria cervi and Setaria labiatopapillosa were identified in the present study. Out of the 500 cattle screened 187 were found to harbour worms. 56.8 % (106) of animals with S. digitata, 24.13 % (45) had S. cervi and 18.96 % (36) had S. labiatopapillosa. Morphological characters of male and female worms of all the three species were studied in detail.

The occurrence of Kalicephalus sp. of hookworms in a Russell's viper snake maintained in Chennai snake park trust, Chennai is reported. These worms were found in the stomach and intestine. They were cylindrical, thread like and had an elongate body. Anterior end was obliquely truncated with bivalvular buccal capsule. Short, thick and muscularised oesophagus ending in a rounded bulb was observed. In males, a well developed trilobed bursa was observed and the spicules were short and equal. Typical strongyle type eggs were found in the uterus of female worms as well as in the intestinal contents.

Cystic echinococcosis is caused by the larval stage of the dog tapeworm, Echinococcus granulosus. The disease is recognized as one of the world's major zoonoses affecting human beings and domestic animals apart from its economic and public health importance. Development of the cysts in the intermediate host such as buffaloes occurs in the lungs, liver and other organs. In this study, detection of circulating antigen in the diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis in buffaloes was done using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and Dot-Enzyme immunoassay (Dot-EIA). The sensitivity and specificity were determined as 89 and 92 % respectively, whereas those of Dot-EIA were determined as 94 and 96 %.

The occurrence of the plerocercoid larva, Sparganum of Sparganum spp. in two Russell's viper snakes maintained in Chennai snake park trust, Chennai is reported for the first time from Southern India. The cestode larvae were found in the sub cutis and were flat, solid, wrinkled, ribbon like creamy white in colour with peudosegmentation with anterior end possessing bothria. The cuticles, subcuticular cells and parenchymatous tissue stained by acetic alum carmine further confirmed the cestode larvae.

A study was undertaken to find out the efficacy of (Z)-9-Tricosene in attracting flies in a garbage dump yard using a plywood sticky glue trap with fish meal as a food bait. (Z)-9-Tricosene was dissolved in acetone or hexane before application on a filter paper strip fixed at the centre of the trap. The traps were left in areas of the garbage dump yard of high fly activity for 6 h and then the trapped flies were counted species wise. Significantly more number of Musca domestica flies were caught in (Z)-9-Tricosene treated fish meal baited traps compared to those traps without (Z)-9-Tricosene. No significant difference was noted in trap catches in (Z)-9-Tricosene treated traps between the solvents acetone and hexane. In addition Sarcophaga sp. and Chrysomyia sp. flies were also caught in the traps.