Serpinema		Contents		Rev 09/27/2024
		Classification		Biology and Ecology
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Serpinema Menu				Ecosystem Functions and Services
		Distribution		Management
Return to Camallanidae Menu		Feeding		References
		Go to Nemaplex Main Menu		Go to Dictionary of Terminology

Classification:

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Morphology and Anatomy:

• Nematodes of the genus have a sclerotized buccal capsule composed by two lateral valves with internal longitudinal ridges divided into 2 groups, 1 dorsal and 1 ventral, with a gap between them
• They have tridents and a basal ring
• Species separate into two groups based on males havin either a single spicule or 2 spicules
• Similarities with Camallanus but separation of the genus is validated by molecular data.

Ref Silva et al., 2023.

Serpinema octorugatum A: Male face view; B: Male anterior, dorso-ventral; C: Male anterior, lateral view, with buccal capsule supported by rugae (8 in this species) and surrounded by lateral glands; D: Male posterior, ventral view; E: Male posterior, lateral view. Drawings from Sharma et al., 2002.

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Distribution:

A genus of parasitic nematodes of freshwater turtles distributed across the Oriental, Neotropical, and Palearctic regions.

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Feeding:

Parasites of the gastrointestinal tract of freshwater turtles;

three species have been reported as parasites of scorpion mud turtles, Kinosternon scorpioides.

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Biology and Ecology:

 All known Serpinema species are described as gastrointestinal parasites of freshwater turtles.

One species, S. microcephalus, is reported associated with pancreatitis in 19 free-ranging red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) . Microscopic changes  associated with parasite migrations were characterized by central areas of necrosis surrounded by leukocytes and destruction of exocrine tissue. The blood profile of one of the three female turtles revealed eosinophilia and hyperglycemia, common in helminth infections and pancreatic disorders respectively.

Pancreatic lesions caused by parasites commonly have been described in humans and in several other vertebrate species (Hidalgo-Vila et al., 2011).

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Life Cycle:

Dispersion among turtles is probably associated with the life cycle of the nematodes. Some studies suggest that the parasite larvae infect crustacean copepods which are intermediate hosts. The copepods can be ingested by paratenic hosts such as fish, amphibians, and aquatic snails. The parasite reaches the definitive host when the freshwater turtle feeds either the intermediate host or the paratenic host.

Sincwe maost freshwater turtles are omnivorous. feeding on algae, plants, seeds, insects, mollusks, fish, and small amphibians, their feeding habits facilitate infection  by different parasitic nematode larvae present in aquatic environments.(Silva et al., 2023).

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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

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References:

Hidalgo-Vila, J.,  Martinez-Silvestre, A., Ribas, A., Casanova, J.C., Perez-Santigosa, N., Diaz-Paniagua, C. 2011. Pancreatitis Associated with the Helminth Serpinema microcephalus (Nematoda: Camallanidae) in Exotic Red-Eared Slider Turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans). J. Wildlife Diseases 47:201-205.

Sharma, R.S.K., Rigby, M.C., Sumita, S., Sani, R.A. Vidyadaran, M.K., Jasni, S., Dailey, M.D. 2002. Redescription of Serpinema octorugatum (Baylis, 1933) (Nematoda: Camallanidae) from the Malayan box turtle Cuora amboinensis (Daudin) (Chelonia: Bataguridae). Systematic Parasitol. 53:19-28.

Silva,, L.M.O., Jesus, R.F., Santos, A.N., Nandyara, B., Willkens, Y., Santos, J.N., Melo, F.T.V. 2023. New species of Serpinema (Nematoda: Camallanidae) from the scorpion mud turtle Kinosternon scorpioides (Testudines: Kinosternidae) from eastern Amazon, Brazil. Int. J Parasitololgy: Parasites and Wildlife.22:6-13.

Yeh, L. 1960. On a reconstruction of the genus Camallanus Railliet & Henry, 1915. J. Helminthology 34:117-124.

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Copyright 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: September 27, 2024.