Trichuris muris		Contents		Rev: 10/14/2025
Mouse Whipworm		Classification		Biology and Ecology
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Trichuris Menu				Ecosystem Functions and Services
		Distribution		Management
Return to Trichuridae Menu		Feeding		References
		Go to Nemaplex Main Menu		Go to Dictionary of Terminology

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Classification:

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Morphology and Anatomy:

Stichosomes occur in two orders of the Nematoda: Trichinellida, with at least six families, and Mermithida, with two families. Recent phylogenetic analysis based on a synthesis of molecular and morphological data suggest that the stichosome may be an example of parallel evolution in the Trichinellida and Mermithida (De Ley and Blaxter, 2002; Ferris, 2007). The pharynx is narrow and thin-walled anteriorly and which, posteriorly, is surrounded by unicellular, glandular stichocytes, each with a duct into the pharyngeal lumen. The pharynx extends one-fourth to nine-tenths of the body length in various taxa and is almost devoid of musculature. The region of the pharynx surrounded by stichocytes is known as the stichosome.

Females: Length 4-6 cm body  shaped like a buggy whip with a stout body and heavy lash that is the anterior end, not the tail

A portion of the stichosome of the whipworm, Trichuris trichiura Photomicrograph by Sung-Jong Hong (The Korean Society for Parasitology).

Males:

•  Single spicule in a sheath
• Tail conical

Ref: Marchiondo et al., 2020

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Distribution:

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Economic Importance:

Contact with soil contaminated with eggs or larvae of nematode parasites is a common form of transmission that results in infection. The nematodes can live for years as adults in the human intestinal tract. Soil becomes contaminated by fecal material.

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Hosts:

Mouse, parasite of the caecum and upper colon.

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Feeding:

The anterior filamentous end of the female whipworm is characteristically embedded in the mucosa, and the stout posterior end is free in the lumen of the large intestine.

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Life Cycle:

The life cycle is direct with eggs being passed in the feces and developing to the infective stage. Ingested eggs hatch within 90 minutes of ingestion

The L1 penetrates the wall of the cecum and proximal colon and molts to three times to the L4in 22 days

The prepatent period is 30-34 days in the absence of self-cure through development of acquired immunity.

Eggs are highly resistant to environmental conditions and can remain infective for 10 months.

Eggs are ingested by suitable hosts and development occurs in the epithelium of the large intestine. The prepatent period is about 3 months. (Marchiondo et al., 2020

Trichiuris. muris is a useful model for studying the infection of humans with the gastrointestinal nematode Trichuris trichiura . Eggs of T. muris are embryonated in water at 28C-37C for 45 days. In laboratory studies, mice infected with eggs of T. muris develop acquired immunity with expulsion of worms by 16-18 days post infection

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Damage:

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Management:

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References:

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