Dictyocaulus

  

Contents

  

Rev 10/21/2025

Bovine Lungworm; Cattle Lungworm Classification Biology and Ecology
Morphology and Anatomy Life Cycle
Return to Dictyocaulus Menu Ecosystem Functions and Services
Distribution Management
Return to Dictyocaulidae Menu Feeding  References
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Classification:

Chromadorea

  Rhabditia

    Rhabditida

      Metastrongyloidea

        Dictyocaulidae

       
Dictyocaulus Railliet & Henry, 1907

   Type species of the genus: Dictyocaulus viviparus (Bloch, 1782) Railliet & Henry, 1907

Synonyms

 

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Morphology and Anatomy:

 

 

 

 


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

Worldwide, especially temperate climates with high rainfall (Snyder et al., 2020).

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Feeding:

Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Dictyocaulus

Found in the air passages of the lungs. Occurs in the the trachea and bronchi, particularly the diaphragmatic lobes, of cattle, ox, zebu, camels, and various wild ruminants.

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Biology and Ecology:

Infection in young cattle causes parasitic bronchitis (husk, hoose, verminous pneumonia, or dictyocaulosis) occurring during their first grazing season on permanent or semipermanent pastures.

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Life Cycle:

Unlike other Metastrongyloidea, Dictyocaulus does not require an intermediate host, the lifecycle is direct. That leads Snyder et al (2020) to suggest classification in the Trichostrongyloidea would be more appropriate.

Dictyocaulus lives in the lumen of the bronchial tree and is thought to be the only nematode that reaches maturity in the lungs of cattle .

 

 
   

 

 

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:

Anderson, R.C. 2009. Keys to the nematode parasites of vertebrates: archival volume. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781845935726.0178

Snyder, D.E., Marchiondo, A.A. Cruthers, L.R. 2020. Nematoda, Trichostrongyloidea. Chapter 2 in Marchiondo, Cruthers and Fourie (eds) Parasiticide Screening Vol 2. Academic Press

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Copyright © 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: October 21, 2025.

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