Angusticaecum brevispiculum

Contents

Rev 10/10/2026

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

Class:    Chromadorea

SubClass: Chromadoria

Order:   Rhabditida

Suborder: Spirurina

Superfamily: Ascaridoidea

Family:  Ascarididae

      Angusticaecum brevispiculum Chapin, 1924

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Morphology and Anatomy:

  • Body length up to 120 mm, greatest diameter 3 mm.
  • Head 0.5 mm. in diameter, lips twice as broad at base as high, somewhat rounded.
  • Cuticle transversely striated at intervals of 6um.. Body without alae.
  •  Intestinal caecum slightly more than half length of, and about one-fourth as thick as, the esophagus.
  • Esophagus 6.6% of the total body length.
  • Posterior terminus of body mucronate.
  •  Anus subterminal.
  Angusticaecum brevispiculum  11: lateral view of head; 10: apical view of head; 12: Male posterior
Drawings from Chapin, 1924

Male:

  • Spicules subequal in length (1.4 and 1.3 mm.), one much thinner (28um) than the other (85um.
  • Cloaca about 150 um in front of the posterior extremity.
  • Posterior to cloaca are five pairs of papillae and two single glandular papilliform structures,
  • Anterior to cloaca is a transverse sinuous line of five papillae and, extending anteriorly from the second and fourth papillae of this row are two files, each of 16 papillae,

Female:

  • Vulva a transverse slit just anterior to mid-body.
  •  Vagina about 4 mm. long, uteri double and convergent, reaching nearly to
    posterior extremity of worm, ovaries intricately coiled about the uteri throughout their length.
  • Anus about 1 mm.from tail tip.
  • Eggs 114-142 by 71-85 um with thick smooth shell.

Ref: Chapin, 1924

Reported median body size for this species (Length mm; width micrometers; weight micrograms) - Click:

 

   
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Distribution:

Species described as an intestinal parasites of the Brazilian large land tortoise, Testuda denticulata.


 

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Economic Importance:

 

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Hosts:

Tortoise, Testuda denticulata

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Feeding:

Intestinal roundworm of tortoise

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Life Cycle:

 

 

 

Ecophysiological Parameters:

For Ecophysiological Parameters for this species, click If species level data are not available, click for genus level parameters
 
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Damage:


 

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Management:

 

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References:

Chapin, E,A, 1924, Nematode parasites of the Brazilian land tortoise, Testuda denticulata. Proc. US National Museum 65(13): 1-8

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Revised by Howard Ferris: October 10, 2026.