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| − | == General Appearance ==
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| − | [[Image:Trichostrongylus.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Trichostrongylus'' - Joaquim Castellà Veterinary Parasitology Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona]]
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| − | *Bursate
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| − | *Most members of this superfamily look like short lengths of cotton (typically 0.5-2cm)
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| − | *The spicules of each species have a characteristic shape
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| − | *The heads have no distinct features
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| − | == General Life-Cycle ==
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| − | *The egg is approximately 80µm long, oval, thin-shelled, contains 4-16cells (i.e. it is a typical strongyle egg)
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| − | *Egg → L1 → L2 → L3 (this occurs on the ground)
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| − | *L1 and L2 feed on bacteria
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| − | *L3 is the infective stage
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| − | *L3 is ensheathed (i.e. the L2 cuticle is retained after moulting as an "outer skin")
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| − | *L3 cannot feed, but contains a finite amount of stored food to provide energy for movement
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| − | *Infection is by ingestion of the L3
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| − | *L3 → L4 → adult (this occurs in the stomach or small intestine)
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| − | *Parasitic development initially occurs in gastric glands or intestinal crypts (depending on species)
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| − | *Adults are situated on the mucosal surface
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| − | *The prepatent period is typically about 3 weeks
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