nematodes
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 broa ...
Elaphostrongylus cervi
''Elaphostrongylus'' is a genus of parasitic nematodes in the family Protostrongylidae.
Species
* '' Elaphostrongylus cervi'' Cameron, 1931
* '' Elaphostrongylus panticola'' Lubinov, 1945
* '' Elaphostrongylus rangiferi'' Mitskevich, 1958
* ...
'' Cameron, 1931
* ''
Elaphostrongylus panticola
''Elaphostrongylus'' is a genus of parasitic nematodes in the family Protostrongylidae.
Species
* ''Elaphostrongylus cervi'' Cameron, 1931
* '' Elaphostrongylus panticola'' Lubinov, 1945
* '' Elaphostrongylus rangiferi'' Mitskevich, 1958
* ' ...
Elaphostrongylus alces
''Elaphostrongylus'' is a genus of parasitic nematodes in the family Protostrongylidae.
Species
* ''Elaphostrongylus cervi'' Cameron, 1931
* '' Elaphostrongylus panticola'' Lubinov, 1945
* '' Elaphostrongylus rangiferi'' Mitskevich, 1958
* ' ...
'' Steen et al., 1989
Life cycle
Intermediate host
In biology and medicine, a host is a larger organism that harbours a smaller organism; whether a parasitic, a mutualistic, or a commensalist ''guest'' (symbiont). The guest is typically provided with nourishment and shelter. Examples include a ...
s of ''Elaphostrongylus'' spp. are terrestrial gastropods and they include:
* ''
Malacolimax tenellus
''Malacolimax tenellus'' (lemon slug) is a species of air-breathing land slug, a shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusk in the family Limacidae.
Description
The body is yellow in color and can grow up to .
Habitat
This species is known to l ...
''
* ''
Succinea
''Succinea'', common name the amber snails, is a large genus of small, air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Succineidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Succinea Draparnaud, 1801. Accesse ...
Zonitoides nitidus
''Zonitoides nitidus'' (sometimes ''Zonitoides nitida'') is a species of small, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Gastrodontidae.
''Zonitoides nitidus'' is the type species of the genus ''Zonit ...
''
Experimental hosts of ''Elaphostrongylus'' spp. can also be
freshwater snail
Freshwater snails are gastropod mollusks which live in fresh water. There are many different families. They are found throughout the world in various habitats, ranging from ephemeral pools to the largest lakes, and from small seeps and springs ...
s. For example ''
Lymnaea stagnalis
''Lymnaea stagnalis'', better known as the great pond snail, is a species of large air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae. The great pond snail is a model organism to study parasito ...
'' has been experimentally infected with '' Elaphostrongylus rangiferi''.Skorping A. (1985). "''Lymnea stagnalis'' as experimental intermediate host for ''Elaphostrongylus rangiferi''". '' Zeitschrift fur Parasitenkunde'' 71: 265-270.
''Elaphostrongylus'' spp. causes
cerebral nematodiasis
Cerebral may refer to:
* Of or relating to the brain
* Cerebrum, the largest and uppermost part of the brain
* Cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the cerebrum
* Retroflex consonant, also referred to as a cerebral consonant, a type of consonant so ...
. Definitive host include
Cervidae
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the rei ...
: moose ''
Alces alces
The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...
'', ''
Cervus elaphus
The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or hart, and a female is called a hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of wes ...
'' and reindeer ''
Rangifer tarandus
Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subsp ...