Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus
Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus
Taxonomy
- Kingdom Animalia
- Phylum Acanthocephala
- Class Archiacanthocephala
- Family Oligacanthorhynchidae
- Genus Macracanthorhynchus
Final host
Pig, wild boar
Morphology
Adults: large worms (≈ 10 cm male, ≈ 35-65 cm female) in length and ≈ 5-10 mm in width The cuticle is transversely wrinkled The anterior end possesses a small retractable proboscis covered with about six transverse rows of hooks They have no alimentary canal Eggs (≈ 70-110 µm) are ovoid, yellowish-brown, with a thick shell externally mamillated
Cycle
Indirect with dung beetles as intermediate hosts
Location
Small intestine
Feeding
Intestinal content (absortion by the tegument)
Diagnostic
Eggs
Transmission
Cystacanth within the arthropod intermediate host (beetle)
