Habronema muscae		Contents		Rev 10/28/2025
Equine Stomach Worm		Classification		Hosts
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Habronema Menu		Economic Importance		Damage
		Distribution		Management
Return to Habronematidae Menu		Feeding		References
		Go to Nemaplex HomePage		Go to Dictionary of Terminology

Classification:

Chromadorea

  Chromadoria

   Rhabditida

Spirurina

              Habronematoidea

               Habronematidae

           Habronema muscae (Carte, 1861) Diesing, 1862

Synonyms:

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Morphology and Anatomy:

• White nematodes

•  Buccal cavity deep  and wide

• Esophagus long, 2.3-3.5 um

• Cervical ala on the left side only

Females:

•  Length 13-22 mm, tail 300-350 um long
• Ovejector not muscular
•  Eggs 30-50 x 10-12 um. Contain L1 larva when laid.

Males:

• Length 8-14 mm
• Spicules unequal length (left spicule 5 x longer than right: 2.5 vs. o.5 mm)

Ref: Marchiondo and Cruthers, 2020

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Distribution:

Worldwide

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Feeding:

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Biology and Ecology:

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Life Cycle:

Life cycle involves an intermediate host.

•  L1 ingested by from fecal material by fly larvae (Musca, Fannia, Stomoxys, and Haematobia species) and develop to L3 about the same time the adult flies emerges from pupae.
•  L3 migrate to the proboscis of the fly.
• Horses become infected from the ingestion of L3 deposited around the mouth and skin or by ingestion of the fly.
•  L3 develop to adults in the glandular area of the stomach. Adults mate, produce off spring (L1) which are passed in feces.
• The prepatent period is about 2 months (Marchiondo and Cruthers, 2020)

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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

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References:

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Copyright 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: October 28, 2025.