Foleyella

  

Contents

  

Rev 12/03/2024

The reptilian filarioid genus Classification Hosts
Morphology and Anatomy Life Cycle
Return to Foleyella Menu Economic Importance Damage
Distribution Management
Return to Onchocercidae Menu Feeding  References
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Classification:

Chromadorea
 Chromadoria

           Rhabditida 

                       Spirurina
                          Filarioidea
                   Onchocercidae
 
  •             Foleyella Seurat, 1917

    • Type species of the genus: Foleyella candezei (Fraipont, 1882) Seurat, 1917

    Synonyms:

     

    Filaria candezei Fraipont, 1882

    Filaria agamae Rodhain, 1906

    Foleyella agamae (Rodhain, 1906) Yorke & Maplestone, 1926

    Foleyella rodhaini Tendeiro, 1953

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    Morphology and Anatomy:

    Characteristics of the genus based mainly on a redescription of F. candezei by Bartlett, 1986:

    Male:

    • Nerve ring 130 unm from anterior extremity. 
    • Post-deirids present 0.7-1.4 mm anterior to posterior extremity, one slightly ahead of or opposite other.
    • Alae 10-15 um wide at midbody, increasing in width to a maximum of 450 um on tail.
    •  Tail coiled 0.5-2 turns.
    •  Three groups of caudal papillae present:
    •  Spicules dissimilar and unequal. Left spicule 150-185  um long; right  64-85 um long, both strong in appearance.
    • Cloaca 38-50 um from posterior extremity. Phasmids obscure, subterminal

    Female:

    • Vulva pre- to post-esophageal in position, 0.5 mm from anterior extremity. Vulval lips thin.
    • Vagina directed posteriorly from vulva, 0.8-2.8 um long, frequently convoluted and looping anteriorly to pass vulva.
    • Uteri convoluted. Ovejector simple
    • Alae  becoming more apparent and wider as body width decreases in posterior 2-3 mm of body length,
    • Anus 65-130 um from posterior extremity.
    • Posterior extremity with 2-4 subterminal or terminal cuticular 'button-like structures, irregular in size, shape, and position; surface of each smooth or serrate. Phasmids obscure, subterminal.

    Ref: Bartlett, 1986.
       
    Body size range for the species of this genus in the database - Click:
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    Distribution:

    Reported from reptile hosts in Algeria, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Upper Volta, and  republics of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Georgia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan iof the former U.S.S.R. (Barlett, 1986)

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    Economic Importance:

     
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    Feeding:

     Subcutaneous and intermuscular connective tissues and the body cavities of  reptiles.

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    Hosts:

    Parasites of the subcutaneous and intermuscular connective tissues and the body cavities of  lizards (Uromastyx and Agama), and chameleon (Chamaeleo spp.).

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    Life Cycle:

    Microfilariae circulating in the blood of an infected host are acquired by mosquitoes during a blood meal.  They are transmitted to the new definive host by mosquitoes during the feeding process.

    For Ecophysiological Parameters for this genus, click 
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    Damage:

    Skin discoloration and mild ataxia (poor muscle control) in chameleons.

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    Management:

    Apanther chameleon, Furcifer pardalis,  infected with the filarial nematode, Foleyella furcata, was treated monthly with of ivermectin. The abundance of  microfilarae was markedly reduced after the first treatment and virtually disappeared after the second administration.  Effects on adults was unclear.

     Caution should be paid on side effects caused by the death of microfilariae and supportive therapy should be warranted. Further studies are needed to fully understand the activity of ivermectin on Filaria sp., nematodes in chameleons.

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    References:

    Bartlett, C.M. 1986. The reptilian filarioid genus Foleyella Seurat, 1917 (Onchocercidae: Dirofilariinae) and its relationship to other dirofilariine genera. Systematic Parasitology 9:43-56.

    Bielli, M. 2007. Preliminary notes on ivermectinto control Foleyess microfilaremia in panther chameleon, Furcifer pardalis. J. Herpetological Medicine and Surgery 17:104-106.

    Schacher, J.F. and Khalil, G.M. 1967. Foleyella philistinae sp. n. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from the Lizard, Agama stellio, in Lebanon, with Notes on Foleyella agamae (Rodhain, 1906). J. Parasitology 43:763-767.

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    Copyright 1999 by Howard Ferris.
    Revised: December 03, 2024.