Pulchrascaris

 

Contents

 

Rev: 08/24/2024

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

Chromadorea

Chromadoria

Rhabditida

Spirurina

Ascaridoidea

                         Anisakidae

 

                          Pulchrascaris Vicente & dos Santos, 1972

 

Type species of the genus:   Pulchrascaris caballeroi Vicente & dos Santos, 1972

    Synonyms:
     

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Morphology and Anatomy:

 

  • Interlabia absent.
  • Excretory pore located between base of subventral lips.
  • Glandular left filament of excretory system extends less anteriorly than in species that are parasites of marine mammals i.e. gland is quite narrow (5–11% of body diam)
  • Lips very stout with very low profile; their anterior lobes very shallow or absent.
  • Lips without dentigerous ridges.
  • Dorsal lip with two large triangular teeth; subventral lips each with single large triangular tooth.
  • Parasites of sharks

Ref: Moravec and Justine, 2020.

 
 


Males:
 


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

 

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Feeding:

Parasites of sharks

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Biology and Ecology:

Humans are accidental hosts due to ingestion of raw or undercooked fish containing the third infective-stage larvae. Human anisakiasis patients suffer from abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea (Dorny et al., 2009).

 

Anisakiasis

The following detailed descriptions and lifecycles of nematodes associated with Anisakiasis are provided courtesy of CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Causal Agents

Anisakiasis is caused by the ingestion of larvae of several species of ascaridoid nematodes (roundworms), which are sometimes called herringworm, codworm, sealworm, in undercooked marine fish. . Recent genetic studies have revealed high diversity within these anisakid groups, suggesting additional cryptic species are likely represented in zoonotic infections.

 

 

Adult stages of anisakid nematodes reside in the stomach of marine mammals, where they are embedded in the mucosa in clusters. Unembryonated eggs produced by adult females are passed in the feces of marine mammals image . The eggs become embryonated in water, undergoing two developmental molts image , and hatch from the eggs as free-swimming ensheathed third-stage (L3) larvae image . These free-swimming larvae are then ingested by crustaceans image . The ingested larvae grow within the crustacean hemocoel, and become infective to fish and cephalopod paratenic hosts. After preying upon infected crustaceans, the digested L3 larvae migrate from the paratenic host intestine into the abdominal cavity, and eventually to the tissues of the mesenteries and skeletal muscle. Through predation, tissue-stage L3 larvae can be transmitted among paratenic hosts image . Fish and squid maintain L3 larvae that are infective to humans and marine mammals image .

When fish or squid containing third-stage larvae are ingested by definitive host marine mammals, the larvae molt twice and develop into adult worms image . After ingestion by humans, the anisakid larvae penetrate the gastric and intestinal mucosa, causing the symptoms of anisakiasis image .

 

 

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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:

Dorny, P., Praet, N., Deckers, N. and Gabriel, S. 2009. Emerging food-borne parasites. Veterinary Parasitology 163:196-206.

Klimpel, S. and Palm, H. W. 2011. Anisakid nematode (Ascaridoidea) life cycles and distribution: Increasing zoonotic potential in the time of climate change? In Mehlhorn, H. (Ed.), Progress in parasitology. Parasitology research monographs, Vol. 2 Springer, Berlin, pp. 201-222.

Moravec, F. and Justine, J-L.. 2020. Erection of Euterranova n. gen. and Neoerranova n. gen. (Nematoda, Anisakidae), with the description of Edentiduplicata n. sp. and new records of two other anisakid nematodes from sharks off New Caledonia. Parasite 27:58; doi: 10.1051/parasite/2020053

Nadler, S.A., D'Amelio, S., Dailey, M.D. Paggi, L., Siu, S., Sakinari, J. A. 2005. Molecular phylogenetics abnd diagnosis of Anisakis, Pulchrascaris, and Pulchrascaris from Nothern Pacific marine mammals. J. Parasitol. 91:1413-1429.

 

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Copyright © 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: August 24, 2024.