''Capillaria'' is a genus of

nematode The nematodes ( or grc-gre, Νηματώδη; la, Nematoda) or roundworms constitute the phylum Nematoda (also called Nemathelminthes), with plant- parasitic nematodes also known as eelworms. They are a diverse animal phylum inhabiting a bro ...

s in the family Capillariidae (or, according to classifications, in the family Trichinellidae).
Since the

taxonomy Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

of the Capillariidae is disputed, species are included within the single

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial no ...

''Capillaria'' or 22 different

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomencla ...

(''Amphibiocapillaria, Aonchotheca, Baruscapillaria, Calodium, Capillaria, Capillostrongyloides, Crocodylocapillaria, Echinocoleus, Eucoleus, Freitascapillaria, Gessyella, Liniscus, Paracapillaria, Paracapillaroides, Pearsonema, Paratrichosoma, Pseudocapillaria, Piscicapillaria, Pseudocapillaroides, Pterothominx, Schulmanela'', and ''Tenoranema'').Moravec, František 2001: Trichinelloid Nematodes parasitic in cold-blooded vertebrates. Academia, Praha, 432 pp. (list of genera in pages 30-32) ()
Some species parasitic in fish, previously classified within ''Capillaria'', are now included in '' Huffmanela'' (family

Trichosomoididae The ''Trichosomoididae'' is a family of nematodes. Morphological characteristics The Trichosomoididae, as most nematodes, have an elongate body, vermiform and covered with a cuticle. There is often a cuticular ornamentation in form of cephalic ...

). Old literature, and sometimes modern medical literature, use ''Capillaria'' as a

for

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

included in all these

.
The term Capillariasis is generally used for diseases produced by species of ''Capillaria'', even if the species is now placed in another genus.

Species

Parasite140131-fig1 Capillaria plectropomi Figure 1H Caudal end of male

Species in the genus ''Capillaria'' include (among hundreds of described species): * '' Capillaria aerophila''; modern name ''Eucoleus aerophilus''; a parasite of the respiratory system of foxes and other mammals * '' Capillaria gastrica''; a parasite of rodents * ''

Capillaria hepatica ''Capillaria hepatica'' is a parasitic nematode which causes hepatic capillariasis in rodents and numerous other mammal species, including humans. The life cycle of ''C. hepatica'' may be completed in a single host species. However, the eggs, w ...

''; modern name ''Calodium hepaticum''; cause of hepatic capillariasis in humans * '' Capillaria philippinensis''; modern name ''Paracapillaria philippinensis''; cause of intestinal capillariasis in humans * '' Capillaria plica''; modern name ''Pearsonema plica''; a parasite of the urinary system of dogs and other mammals * '' Capillaria feliscati''; modern name ''Pearsonema feliscati''; a parasite of the urinary system of cats and other mammals

References

Enoplea genera Parasitic nematodes of mammals {{Parasitic animal-stub

Species

See also

References