Ophidascaris robertsi

Ophidascaris robertsi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Nematoda
Class: Chromadorea
Order: Ascaridida
Family: Ascarididae
Genus: Ophidascaris
Species:
O. robertsi
Binomial name
Ophidascaris robertsi
(Sprent & Mines, 1960)[1]
Synonyms[1]

Amplicaecum robertsi Sprent & Mines, 1960[2]

Ophidascaris robertsi is a nematode (also known as roundworm)[3] usually parasitic in the carpet python (Morelia spilota).[4] It is found in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Pythons serve as the typical hosts for Ophidascaris robertsi, which has an indirect life cycle. The adult parasites develop nodular masses in the oesophagus and stomach of carpet pythons and place a small piece of their anterior bodies into the nodules that protrude from the digestive mucosa. When endemic parasites like Ophidascaris robertsi infect local fauna, the pathological changes that follow are frequently self-limiting or do not result in illness.[5]

  1. ^ a b "Species Ophidascaris robertsi (Sprent & Mines, 1960)". Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study. 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sprent & Mines, 1960 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Gonzalez‐Astudillo, Viviana; Knott, Lyn; Valenza, Ludovica; Henning, Joerg; Allavena, Rachel (June 2019). "Parasitism by Ophidascaris robertsi with associated pathology findings in a wild koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus )". Veterinary Record Case Reports. 7 (2). doi:10.1136/vetreccr-2019-000821. S2CID 164545824.