Nozomu MINAGAWA
National Agriculture Research Center, Kannondai 3-1-1, Tsukuba 305, Japan.

Noboru KAGEI
Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Health, Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162, Japan.

Kyuya SUDA
Hideo SAITO
R & D Department of Agrochemical and Animal Health Products Devision,

Abstract
Agar-plate incubation method detected Rhabditis-like nematodes in the patient's feces who was suspected of Strongyloidiasis stercoralis, and this nematode could propagate in this system. Oval eggs, measuring 51.5 um by 27.3 um on average, had a single thin transparent shell. Males were 1. 14 mm long and females were l. 38 mm long on average . Both sexes had the posterior end extended into longl slender point. This nematode was identified as Rhabditis (Rhabditella) pseudoelongata Micoletzky, 1913 by morphological cbaracteristics . In agar-plate incubation human feces was the best nutrient, although a commercial mouse diet acting as a substitute. This nematode propagated in medium such as NI medium. Optimal temperature was 25'C in the agar (1.5%)-plate incubation system. We are now maintaining this nematode using the agar (1.5%)-plate with mouse diet and NI medium at 17'C by changing them every 40 days.

Key words: s Rhabditis (Rhabditella) pseudoelongata Micoletzky, 1913;