The seal louse, Echinophthirius horridus: an intermediate host of the seal heartworm, Dipetalonema spirocauda (Nematoda)

Heartworms, Dipetalonema spirocauda, are common in harbour seals, Phoca vitulina, that strand along the New England coast. Lice, Echinophthirius horridus, taken from a stranded harbour seal infected with seal heartworm carried three developmental stages of D. spirocauda. This is the first report of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Zoology
Main Authors: Geraci, J. R., Fortin, J. F., Aubin, D. J. St., Hicks, B. D.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1981
Subjects:
harbour seal
Phoca vitulina
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z81-197
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z81-197
Description
Summary:Heartworms, Dipetalonema spirocauda, are common in harbour seals, Phoca vitulina, that strand along the New England coast. Lice, Echinophthirius horridus, taken from a stranded harbour seal infected with seal heartworm carried three developmental stages of D. spirocauda. This is the first report of an intermediate host of the seal heartworm.

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