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A scanning electron microscope study of Toxocara genettae Warren, 1972 (Ascaridae), with data on morphometric
M L Sanmartín1, F Alvarez, H Gijón Botella
1Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, España.
Abstract:
We have carried out a morphometric study of the ascaridoid nematode Toxocara genettae, parasite of the small intestine of the genet Genetta genetta, with the aid of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Host specimens were trapped in Galicia, NW Spain. The most characteristic features of this nematode are the absence of cervical alae, replaced by narrow lateral crests running along the length of the body and the presence of a mucron at the end of the male tail. Other features of interest include the number of labial denticles (90-98 and 96-102 on the dorsal lip, 82-96 and 90-96 on the subventral lip of male and female, respectively), the width of the transverse striations (25-28 microns) and, in many of the specimens examined, the position of the precloacal median papilla at the base of a well-defined cuticular pit.