Dictyocaulus arnfieldi


Dictyocaulus arnfieldi from horse faeces - Joaquim Castellà Veterinary Parasitology Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Dictyocaulus arnfieldi
Class Nematoda
Super-family Trichostrongyloidea
Genus Dictyocaulus
Species D. arnfieldi
Also known as: Equine lungworm

Hosts

Donkeys, and occasionally horses.

Identification

D. arnfieldi are of the superfamily Trichostrongyloidea. Adults are slender, thread-like and white. Females are larger than males at around 6.5cm in length. The males have a small non-lobulated bursa.

The embryonated eggs are 80-100µm in length.

Life Cycle

The lifecycle is not greatly known, but it is currently thought to be similar to that of Dictyocaulus viviparus.

The prepatent period is 2-3 months.