Capillariidae Neveu-Lemaire, 1936  also claiified as subfamily Capillariinae Railliet, 1915 of the family Trichuridae

A nematode family of more than 400 nominal species of parasites various organs and tissues of birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals (rodents and others).

Species include the causal agent of capillariasis in humans and other mammals, and in fish and birds. Calodium hepaticum causes hepatic capillariasis (infection of the liver) and Capillaria philippinensis causes intestinal capillariasis.
                

Several genera with a heteroxeneous life cycle with intermediate hosts, usually oligochaetes and fish as definitive hosts (Schulmanela, Pearsonema)

Some genera with a homoxeneous life cyvle that do not require an intermediate host.

Due to their thin and fragile bodies, capillariid worms are difficult to identify based solely on morphological characteristics in laboratory settings. The identification of capillariid worms detected in field surveys and companion animal clinics often relies on capillariid eggs, which exhibit few morphological characteristics aside from their bioperculated barrel or lemon shapes and several texture patterns of the eggshell surface.

Capillariidae are currently classified into more than 20 genera primarily on the basis of the caudal structures of male worms.Taxonomic approaches integrating morphological and molecular analyses are considered essential for reliable specific identification of capillariid nematodes in field and clinical settings. (Tamaru et al., 2025).

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References

Moravec, F. 1982. Proposal of a new systematic arrangement of nematodes of the family Capillariidae. Folia Parasitol. 29: 119-132.

Robles, M. del R., Carballo, M.C., Navone, G.T. 2008. A new species of Liniscus (Nematoda: Trichuridae) from Oxymycterus rufus and Akodon azarae (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. J. Parasitol. 94:909-917.

Tamaru, M., Sakaguchi, S., Souza, Y., Murata, K., Yunus, M., Rosyadi, I., Dabo, H. 2025. Integrated Taxonomic Approaches to Gastrointestinal and Urinary Capillariid Nematodes from Wild and Domestic Mammals. Pathogens 14, 455  doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14050455

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