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The comparative morphology of three equine habronematid nematodes: SEM observations

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Abstract

Drashia megastoma Rudolphi, 1819, Habronema muscae Carter, 1861 and Habronema microstoma Schneider, 1866 are found in the stomach of equine definitive hosts and are known to cause pathogenic effects in the stomach wall, skin, eye and occasionally other sites. These nematodes utilise either house flies or stable flies as their intermediate hosts. Apart from molecular findings that have demonstrated some of the differences between H. muscae and H. microstoma, no detailed morphological description of equine habronematid nematodes has been presented. This article describes most surface features of adult D. megastoma, H. muscae and H.microstoma using scanning electron microscopy and differentiates these nematodes based on morphological characteristics.

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Acknowledgements

This article is dedicated to Professor Gerard T. Simon, former director of the electron microscope facility, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Canada, from whom I learned a great deal about electron microscopy. The author expresses her appreciation to Professor Larry A. Arsenault, head of the electron microscope facility, Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Canada, who kindly provided all facilities during the study. In addition, the valuable help of Mr. Ernie Spitzer, chief technician, and all technicians in the electron microscope facility are acknowledged. Many thanks are addressed to Dr. Donato Traversa of the Department of Biomedical Comparative Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Italy, for providing some valuable references. Finally, the author is particularly indebted to Dr. Christine M. Budke of Texas A&M University, USA, whose comments greatly increased the clarity of the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, P.O. Box 57153 1177, Urmia, Iran

    Soraya Naem

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  1. Soraya Naem
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Naem, S. The comparative morphology of three equine habronematid nematodes: SEM observations. Parasitol Res 101, 1303–1310 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-007-0637-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-007-0637-1

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