Spirocamallanus

  

Contents

  

Rev 05/27/2025

  Classification Biology and Ecology
Morphology and Anatomy Life Cycle
Return to Spirocamallanus Menu Ecosystem Functions and Services
Distribution Management
Return to Camallanidae Menu Feeding  References
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Classification:

Chromadorea
  Chromadoria
       Rhabditida
Spirurina
Camallanoidea
Spirocamallanus Olsen, 1952

Subgenera of Procamallanus have been recognized and include Spirocamallanus, which has a spiral thickening rather than a smooth lining of the inner  buccal wall (Olsen, 1952, Khalifa et al, 2019). Currently, the most accepted system for distinguishing genera (and/or subgenera) within Camallanidae is almost entirely based on the morphology of the buccal capsule. Genetic evidences suggest that the morphology-based system is artificial; a more integrative approach suggests that Spirocamallanus and Procamallanus should be considered valid independent genera (Ailan-Choke and Pereira, 2021).

Type species: Spirocamallanus spiralis (Baylis, 1923) Olsen, 1952
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Morphology and Anatomy:

 

Female:
Body anterior of Procamallanus chetumalensis showing spiral thickenings of buccal capsule, anterior muscular and posterior galndular portions of esophagus, nerve ring and excretory pore.
from Gonzalez-Solis et al. (2002) [bar is 0.3 mm]
  

Males:

 

  
Body size range for the species of this genus in the database - Click:
 
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Distribution:

Many species reported as parasites of freshwater fish

 

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Feeding:

Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Spirocamallanus

Most species are gastrointestinal, blood-sucking parasites of brackish-water and freshwater fishes and, less often, of amphibians and aquatic reptiles (turtles, snakes),  They usually have a copepod as an  intermediate host (Moravec andd Justine, 2019).

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Biology and Ecology:
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Life Cycle:

For Ecophysiological Parameters for this genus, click 
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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

 

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Management:

 

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References:

Ailan-Choke, L.G. and Pereira, F.B. 2021. Deep in the systematics of Camallanidae (Nematoda): using integrative taxonomy to better understand the phylogeny and consistency of diagnostic traits. Parasitology. 2021;148(8):962-974. doi:10.1017/S0031182021000706

Baylis, H.A. 1923: Some parasitic worms, mainly from fishes from Lake Tanganyika. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10,1:552-62.

Khalifa, R.M.A., Mohamadain, H.S., Karrar, Y.F.M. 2019. Redescription and systematic studies on Procamallanus (Procamallanus) elatensis Fusco & Overstreet, 199 from three Red Sea Siganus sp. fishes. J. Egypt. Soc. Parasitol. 49: 81-90.

Gonzalez-Solis, D., Moravec, F., Vidal-Martinez-V.M. 2002. Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) chetumalensis n.sp. (Nematoda: Camallanidae) from the mayan sea catfish, Ariopsis assimilis, off the Caribbean coast of Mecico. J. Parasitol. 88: 765-768.

Moravec, F., Justine, J-L. 2019. New species and new records of camallanid nematodes (Nematoda, Camallanidae) from marine fishes and sea snakes in New Caledonia. Parasite 26:66; doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2019068

Olsen, LS, 1952: Some nematodes parasitic in marine fishes: Publications of the Institute of Marine Science, University of Texas 11,2:173- 215

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Copyright 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: May 27, 2025.