Heterakis gallinarum
Heterakis gallinarum
Taxonomy
- Kingdom Animalia
- Phylum Nematoda
- Class Secernentea
- Order Ascaridida
- Superfamily Ascaridoidea
- Family Ascarididae
- Genus Heterakis
Final host
Galliforrm and Anatid birds
Morphology
Adults: whitish worms up to 1.5 cm long, with elongated pointed tails The oesophagus has a large posterior bulb Males have a large circular pre-cloacal sucker and prominent caudal alae supported by 12 pairs of caudal papillae, and two spicules unequal in length Eggs (≈ 65-80 by 35-46 µm) are ovoid, thick and smooth-shelled with almost parallel side walls and are unsegmented when laid
Cycle
Direct (with earthworms as paratenic hosts)
Location
Caeca
Feeding
Intestinal content
Diagnostic
Eggs
Transmission
L3 within the egg or within a paratenic host (earthworms)
