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== General Appearance ==
*Bursate.
*Most members of this superfamily will look like short lengths of cotton (typically 0.5-2cm).
*The spicules of each species have a characteristic shape.
*The heads have no distinct features.
== General Life-Cycle ==
*The egg is approximately 80µm long, oval, thin-shelled, contains 4-16cells (i.e. it is a typical strongyle egg).
*Egg → L1 → L2 → L3 (this occurs on the ground).
*The L1 and L2 feed on bacteria.
*The L3 is the infective stage.
*The L3 is ensheathed (i.e. the L2 cuticle is retained after moulting as an "outer skin").
*The L3 cannot feed, but has a finite amount of food stored to provide energy for movement.
*Infection is by ingestion of the L3.
*L3 → L4 → adult (this occurs in the stomach or small intestine).
*Parasitic development initially occurs in gastric glands or intestinal crypts (depending on species).
*Adults are on the mucosal surface.
*The prepatent period is typically about 3weeks.
[[Nematodirus]]
[[Nematodirus]]
*''Dictyocaulus viviparus'' causes [[Respiratory Parasitic Infections - Pathology#Dictyocaulus viviparus|parasitic bronchitis]]
*''Dictyocaulus viviparus'' causes [[Respiratory Parasitic Infections - Pathology#Dictyocaulus viviparus|parasitic bronchitis]]
*''Dictyocaulus arnfieldi'' causes [[Respiratory Parasitic Infections - Pathology#Dictyocaulus arnfieldi|cough in horses]]
*''Dictyocaulus arnfieldi'' causes [[Respiratory Parasitic Infections - Pathology#Dictyocaulus arnfieldi|cough in horses]]