Skip to main content

Table 3 Canid and felid cardiopulmonary nematodes: differential characters of fisrt-stage larvae found by the Baermann funnel technique

From: Angiostrongylus vasorum and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus: Neglected and underestimated parasites in South America

Nematode (length × width) (μm)

Morphological keys

Final host

References

Angiostrongylus vasorum (310–400 × 14–16)

A small cup as a cephalic button emerges on the oral extremity

Canids

[1, 2, 4, 146, 147]

Oesophagus non-rhabditiform, 1/3–1/2 the length of the larva

Tip with a dorsal spine and sinus wave curve

Crenosoma vulpisa (240–310 × 13)

Oesophagus non-rhabditiform, 1/3–1/2 the length of the larva

Canids

[4, 111, 148, 149]

Tail, pointed and straight, without indentations and entirely pointed

Aulerostrongylus abstrusus (300–415 × 18–19)

Anterior extremity slender, with a short/terminal oral opening leading into a narrow vestibule

Felids

[4, 63, 150, 151]

Oesophagus non-rhabditiform, 1/3–1/2 the length of the larva

Tail S-shaped, with visible dorsal kink, distinct deep dorsal, ventral incisures, a terminal knob-like extremity

Troglostrongylus breviorb (300–357 × 16–19)

Anterior extremity clear and pointed, with a sub-terminal oral opening

Felids

[19, 113, 151,152,153]

Oesophagus non-rhabditiform, 1/3–1/2 the length of the larva

Tail gradually tapered to dorsal incision, dividing the extremity into two appendices (shallow ventral one, slender dorsal one). S-shaped tail is not obvious, ending straight, gradually tapered

Troglostrongylus subcrenatusb (269–300 × 14–19)

Head pointed, oral opening subterminal (dorsal)

Felids

[19, 113, 153]

Oesophagus non-rhabditiform, 1/3–1/2 the length of the larva

Tail gradually tapered to the extremity with deep dorsal incisure and shallower ventral incisure

Oslerus rostratusb (335–412 × 18–20)

Head rounded, with a central oral opening and a cylindrical buccal capsule

Felids

[1, 4, 151]

Oesophagus non-rhabditiform, 1/3–1/2 the length of the larva

Tail slightly undulated, with a deep ventral notch (ending in minuscule spine) and a shallow dorsal notch

Angiostrongylus chabaudib (307–420 × 14–16)

Cephalic extremity rounded, with a terminal buccal opening

Felids

[117, 146, 154, 155]

Oesophagus non-rhabditiform, 1/3–1/2 the length of the larva

Caudal extremity with a small dorsal spine and notch, ending in a short sigmoid tail

Angiostrongylus felineus c

?

Felids

[118]

Strongyloides stercoralis (150–390 × 14–23)

Mouth with six lips, mouth-cavity rhabditiform, 1/20–1/21 of the total length of oesophagus

Felids and canids

[1, 4, 156]

Oesophagus rhabditiform (corpus, isthmus, valvulated bulb), 1/4 of the total length of the larva

Pointed and straight tail

  1. aEurope and North America; unique report in South America (1% prevalence in dogs) in Chile [80]
  2. bNot reported in South America
  3. cDescribed in 2013 in Puma yagouaroundi from Brazil, first-stage larvae have been not described (Viera et al. [118])