Extra-mammalian larval stages of Elaphostrongylus alces(Nematoda: Protostrongylidae), a parasite of moose ( Alces alces) in Fennoscandia

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Lankester, Murray W, Olsson, Ing-Marie C, Stéen, Margareta, Gajadhar, Alvin A
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1998
• Subjects: Alces alces; Fennoscandia
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z97-168; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z97-168

Dimensions and illustrations of the first-, second-, and third-stage larvae of Elaphostrongylus alces are presented for the first time. First-stage larvae were 417 ± 16 µm long (mean ± SD) (range 377-445 µm) and similar in size to those of E. cervi (420 ± 13 µm long; range 392-445 µm) and E. rangiferi, the other recognized members of the genus. The mean length of third-stage E. alces larvae (714 ± 23 µm long; range 675-756 µm) recovered from gastropod intermediate hosts was significantly less than that of E. cervi (831 ± 78 µm long; range 669-954 µm) and E. rangiferi, providing further evidence of the distinct status of E. alces, a recently described species from moose in Fennoscandia.