''Dictyocaulus viviparus'' is a species of

nematodes The nematodes ( or ; ; ), roundworms or eelworms constitute the phylum Nematoda. Species in the phylum inhabit a broad range of environments. Most species are free-living, feeding on microorganisms, but many are parasitic. Parasitic worms (he ...

belonging to the family Dictyocaulidae. The species has

cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, a cosmopolitan distribution is the range of a taxon that extends across most or all of the surface of the Earth, in appropriate habitats; most cosmopolitan species are known to be highly adaptable to a range of climatic and en ...

. It is parasitic, and has the common name of the bovine lungworm due to its negative impact on cattle.

Life cycle

''Dictyocaulus viviparus'' is ovi-viviparous and gives birth to eggs which are coughed up and eaten. These eggs hatch in the digestive tract and are then excreted live. They take advantage of sporulating ''Pilobilus'' fungi for dispersal. When eaten, the larvae chew through the intestinal wall to the mesenteric lymph nodes. From there, they travel to the lungs via circulating blood and/or lymph.

References

Strongylida Nematodes described in 1782 Parasitic nematodes of mammals {{Rhabditida-stub