Monodontus
Encyclopedia
Monodontus is a genus of parasitic nematode
s in the subfamily Bunostominae of family Ancylostomatidae
. Most of its species occur in rodent
s and suids
, but Monodontus louisianensis is from the white-tailed deer
(Odocoileus virginianus) and Monodontus giraffae from the giraffe
(Giraffa camelopardalis). An unspecified Monodontus has been recorded from the marsh rice rat
(Oryzomys palustris) in Florida.
Nematode
The nematodes or roundworms are the most diverse phylum of pseudocoelomates, and one of the most diverse of all animals. Nematode species are very difficult to distinguish; over 28,000 have been described, of which over 16,000 are parasitic. It has been estimated that the total number of nematode...
s in the subfamily Bunostominae of family Ancylostomatidae
Ancylostomatidae
Ancylostomatidae is a family of worms that includes the hookworms.- Genera of Ancylostomatidae :* Agriostomum* Ancylostoma* Cyclodontostomum* Galonchus*Monodontus*Necator...
. Most of its species occur in rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
s and suids
Suidae
Suidae is the biological family to which pigs belong. In addition to numerous fossil species, up to sixteen extant species are currently recognized, classified into between four and eight genera...
, but Monodontus louisianensis is from the white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
(Odocoileus virginianus) and Monodontus giraffae from the giraffe
Giraffe
The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
(Giraffa camelopardalis). An unspecified Monodontus has been recorded from the marsh rice rat
Marsh Rice Rat
The marsh rice rat is a semiaquatic North American rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found mostly in the eastern and southern United States, from New Jersey and Kansas south to Florida and northeasternmost Tamaulipas, Mexico; its range previously extended further west and north, where it may...
(Oryzomys palustris) in Florida.
Literature cited
- Chitwood, M.B. and Jordan, H.E. 1965. Monodontus louisianensis sp. n. (Nematoda: Ancylostomatidae) a hookworm from the white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann), and a key to the species of Monodontus (subscription required). The Journal of Parasitology 51(6):942–944.
- Kinsella, J.M. 1988. Comparison of helminths of rice rats, Oryzomys palustris, from freshwater and saltwater marshes in Florida. Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington 55(2):275–280.