Aquatic Parasite Observatory

Dispharynx spp. (Railliet et al., 1912)

• Species Name: Dispharynx spp. (Railliet et al., 1912)
• Synonyms: None
• Taxonomy: (Railliet et al., 1912) Animalia, Nematoda, Secernentea, Spirurida, Desmidocercidae, Dispharynx spp.
• Life Cycle: When embryonated eggs are ingested by isopods sowbugs and pillbugs and development takes place until the L3 infective stages. After the parasite is trophically transmitted to the definitive host, a type of bird, the parasite develops further into L4, L5, and adult phases in the proventriculus or esophagus (Taylor et al., 2016).
• Description:
• Adult as described in Anderson et al., 2009:
  1. Medium sized to small worms found in air sacs of fish-eating birds. Spicules marked dissimilar in size and form. Small worms with well developed, tubular buccal cavity, generally with two lateral teeth.
• Sources:Anderson, R.C., Chabaud, A.G., and Willmott, S. 2009. Keys to the Nematode Parasites of Vertebrates. Archival Volume, p. 392-403.
  Taylor, M.A., Coop, R.L., and Wall, R.L. 2016. Veterinary Parasitology. Fourth Edition, p. 63.
• APO Parasite Records: (by Life Cycle)
• Adult

  1. Host Species	Host Common Name	Site(s) of Infection
     Buteo jamaicensis	Red-tailed Hawk

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