Nematode Quizzes Online & Trivia

Heartworm infections are not as prevalent in cats as they are in dogs especially certain kinds of heartworm infections. However, cats do become infected with the heartworms. As a matter of fact, for every 100 dogs that is infected with the heartworm, only about 10-20 cats will be infected in a given area. It is believed that outdoor cats can only be infected with heartworms, but 25% of the cats that were taken to the vets by their owners stated that their cat remains indoors. Luckily, the heartworms spend less time in cats than they do in dogs. Yet, there can be more problems with the health problems of a cat. Finally, cats are less likely to be infected with heartworms than dogs. Dogs are more likely to drink standing water than cats.

Ascaris is a worm that can grow in humans and animals. This roundworm feeds off living things. If the ascaris infects an animal or human, it could cause a disease known as Ascariasis. These worms then put their eggs into the dirt or animal feces. When handing the dirt or feces, humans or animals could then come in contact with them. The length of this roundworm is about 25 centimeters long. However, the eggs are much smaller at 85-90 microns. If someone gets infect with these worms, they will have problems with their digestive or immune systems since this is what the worms target. The appearance of the Ascaris resembles a tubular worm but it is a light color like white or pink.

Animals with a ciliated larval phase and animals with a crown of ciliated tentacles are Lophotrochozoans. Lophotrochozoa is a clade of protostome animals. The taxon was established as a monophyletic group based on molecular evidence. The word "lophotrochozoan" is sometimes equated with spiralian. When used in a broader sense (sensu lato), it can include rotifers and platyhelminthes. When used sensu stricto, it refers to a subgroup of Spiralia. Trochozoans produce trochophore larvae, which have two bands of cilia around their middle. Previously these were treated together as the Trochozoa, together with the arthropods, which do not produce trochophore larvae but were considered close relatives of the annelids because they are both segmented. However, they show a number of important differences, and the arthropods are now placed separately among the Ecdysozoa. The Trochozoa include the Nemertea, Mollusca, Annelida (which appears to be a basl Annelidean group) and now also the Brachiozoa.

Dogs and primates are the main reservoirs of Strongyloides. Strongyloides anguillula, or threadworm is a genus of small nematode parasites, belonging to the family Strongyloididae, commonly found in the small intestine of mammals (particularly ruminants), that are characterized by an unusual lifecycle that involves one or several generations of free-living adult worms. Human infection, strongyloidiasis, is chiefly caused by Strongyloides stercoralis, widespread in all tropical regions, or by Strongyloides fuelleborni, a parasite of primates in African and Asian tropics and of humans in African tropics and New Guinea. Other species include Strongyloides papillosus found in cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, rabbits, and rats, Strongyloides ransomi found in pigs, and Strongyloides ratti, found in rats.

Cestoideans are segmented into Scolex Proglottid. Cestoda (Cestoidea) is a class of parasitic worms of the flatworm (Platyhelminthes) phylum. They are informally referred to as cestodes. The best-known species are commonly called tapeworms. All cestodes are parasitic and their life histories vary, but typically they live in the digestive tracts of vertebrates as adults, and often in the bodies of other species of animals as juveniles. Over a thousand species have been described, and all vertebrate species may be parasitised by at least one species of tapeworm. Humans are subject to infection by several species of tapeworms if they eat undercooked meat such as pork beef and fish or if they live in, or eat food prepared in, conditions of poor hygiene.

Metastrongylus, Dictyocaulus viviparous, and Filaroides are the three exceptions to metastrongyloidea. Metastrongylus is a genus of nematodes of the family Metastrongylidae, usually found as lungworms in pigs and sometimes causing parasitic bronchitis. It causes a disease called metastrongylosis. The lifecycle is indirect. The eggs are laid by the adult worm in the bronchi. They are coughed up, swallowed, and passed out via the feces. The eggs are then eaten by earthworms in which they develop through three larval stages over 10 days to become infective. The cycle is completed by the pig eating the earthworm. Infection, therefore, only occurs where pigs have access to earthworms, for example, in outdoor production.

Turbellaria is the class of Platyhelminthes that have auricles. The Turbellaria are one of the traditional sub-divisions of the phylum Platyhelminthes (flatworms), and include all the sub-groups that are not exclusively parasitic. There are about 4,500 species, which range from 1 mm (0.039 in) to large freshwater forms more than 500 mm (20 in) long or terrestrial species like Bipalium kewense which can reach 600 mm (24 in) in length. All the larger forms are flat with ribbon-like or leaf-like shapes, since their lack of respiratory and circulatory systems means that they have to rely on diffusion for internal transport of metabolites. However, many of the smaller forms are round in cross section. Most are predators, and all live in water or in moist terrestrial environments. Most forms reproduce sexually and with few exceptions all are simultaneous hermaphrodites.

Parthenogenic means development of an unfertilized egg into an organism. Parthenogenesis is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which growth and development of embryos occur without fertilization. In animals, parthenogenesis means development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg cell. In plants parthenogenesis is a component process of apomixis. Parthenogenesis occurs naturally in many plants, some invertebrate animal species (including nematodes, water fleas, some scorpions, aphids, some mites, some bees, some Phasmida and parasitic wasps) and a few vertebrates. Normal egg cells form after meiosis and are haploid, with half as many chromosomes as their mother's body cells. Haploid individuals, however, are usually non-viable, and parthenogenetic offspring usually have the diploid chromosome number.

Ancylostoma tubaeforme is the hookworm that is found in cats only. It is a hookworm that infects cats worldwide. Infection can occur by penetration of the skin, eating other hosts such as birds, or by directly consuming the organism. This hookworm can also infect humans, causing a dermatitis. Ancylostoma tubaeforme along with Ancylostoma braziliense are the two most common hookworms to infect cats, causing anemia and also compromising the immune system. Hookworm infection is an infection by a type of intestinal parasite in the roundworm group. Initially there may be itching and a rash at the site of infection. There may be no symptoms in those only affected by a few worms. In those infected by many worms there may be abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and feeling tired.

Monoecious is the term for hermaphroditic. In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes. Many taxonomic groups of animals (mostly invertebrates) do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which either partner can act as the "female" or "male". For example, the great majority of tunicates, pulmonate snails, opisthobranch snails and slugs are hermaphrodites. Hermaphroditism is also found in some fish species and to a lesser degree in other vertebrates. Most plants are also hermaphrodites. A rough estimate of the number of hermaphroditic animal species is 65,000.

Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is the feline lung-worm whose larvae presence can be determined through a fecal flotation or Baermann technique. A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Larvae are frequently adapted to environments separate from adults. For example, some larvae such as tadpoles live almost exclusively in aquatic environments, but can live outside water as adult frogs. By living in a distinct environment, larvae may be given shelter from predators and reduce competition for resources with the adult population.

Trichuris trichiura is known as the human whipworm. The human whipworm is a round worm (a type of helminth) that causes trichuriasis (a type of helminthiasis which is one of the neglected tropical diseases) when it infects a human large intestine. It is commonly known as the whipworm which refers to the shape of the worm; it looks like a whip with wider "handles" at the posterior end. Trichuris trichiura has a narrow anterior esophageal end and shorter and thicker posterior anus. These pinkish-white worms are threaded through the mucosa. They attach to the host through their slender anterior end and feed on tissue secretions instead of blood. Females are larger than males; approximately 35–50 mm long compared to 30–45 mm.