Toxascaris leonina
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| Toxascaris leonina | |
|---|---|
| Class | Nematoda |
| Super-family | Ascaridoidea |
| Also known as: | Toxascaris limbata |
Hosts
Dogs, cats, and foxes.
Identification
T. leonina is of the superfamily Ascaridoidea. It is similar in appearance to Toxocara canis, but slightly smaller at around 10cm in length. There are three large lips surrounding the mouth, and there is no buccal capsule.
The eggs are ovoid, around 75μm in length, with a thick outer shell.
Life Cycle
The infective stage of T. leonina is L2, which are found in the egg. The eggs are ingested by the host, hatch, and enter the alimentary tract. The larvae then penetrate the wall of the intestine. The larvae continue to develop and mature into adults. The adults live in the lumen of the intestine. In the host there is:
- no prenatal transmission
- no transmammary transmission
- no hepato-tracheal migration.
The prepatent period is 10-11 weeks.