''Elaphostrongylus'' is a genus of parasitic nematodes in the family

Protostrongylidae ''Protostrongylidae'' is a family of nematodes belonging to the order Strongylida The Strongylida suborder includes many of the important nematodes found in the gastrointestinal tracts of ruminants, horses, and swine, as well as the lungworms ...

Species

* '' Elaphostrongylus cervi'' Cameron, 1931 * '' Elaphostrongylus panticola'' Lubinov, 1945 * '' Elaphostrongylus rangiferi'' Mitskevich, 1958 * '' Elaphostrongylus alces'' Steen et al., 1989

Life cycle

Intermediate host In biology and medicine, a host is a larger organism that harbours a smaller organism; whether a parasitic, a mutualistic, or a commensalist ''guest'' (symbiont). The guest is typically provided with nourishment and shelter. Examples include a ...

s of ''Elaphostrongylus'' spp. are terrestrial gastropods and they include: * '' Limax cinereoniger''Olsson I.-M., Stéen M. & Mann H. (1993). "Gastropod hosts of ''Elaphostrongylus'' spp. (Protostrongylidae, Nematoda)". '' Rangifer'' 13(1): 53-55
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* ''

Malacolimax tenellus ''Malacolimax tenellus'' (lemon slug) is a species of air-breathing land slug, a shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusk in the family Limacidae. Description The body is yellow in color and can grow up to . Habitat This species is known to liv ...

'' * ''

Succinea ''Succinea'', common name the amber snails, is a large genus of small, air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Succineidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Succinea Draparnaud, 1801. Access ...

'' spp. * ''

Vitrina pellucida ''Vitrina pellucida'' is species of small land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Vitrinidae, the glass snails. Description This species is a 'semi-slug' with a flattened, globular shell. The animal is pale grey wi ...

'' * '' Zonitoides nitidus'' Experimental hosts of ''Elaphostrongylus'' spp. can also be

freshwater snail Freshwater snails are gastropod mollusks which live in fresh water. There are many different families. They are found throughout the world in various habitats, ranging from ephemeral pools to the largest lakes, and from small seeps and springs ...

s. For example ''

Lymnaea stagnalis ''Lymnaea stagnalis'', better known as the great pond snail, is a species of large air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae. The great pond snail is a model organism to study parasitology, ...

'' has been experimentally infected with '' Elaphostrongylus rangiferi''.Skorping A. (1985). "''Lymnea stagnalis'' as experimental intermediate host for ''Elaphostrongylus rangiferi''". '' Zeitschrift fur Parasitenkunde'' 71: 265-270. ''Elaphostrongylus'' spp. causes

cerebral nematodiasis Cerebral may refer to: * Of or relating to the brain * Cerebrum, the largest and uppermost part of the brain * Cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the cerebrum * Retroflex consonant, also referred to as a cerebral consonant, a type of consonant so ...

. Definitive host include Cervidae: moose '' Alces alces'', '' Cervus elaphus'' and reindeer ''

Rangifer tarandus Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subspe ...

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5353490 Strongylida