Eels are any of several long, thin, bony fishes of the order Anguilliformes. They have a catadromous life cycle, that is: at different stages of development migrating between inland waterways and the deep ocean. Because fishermen never caught anything they recognized as young eels, the life cycle of the eel was long a mystery. Of particular interest has been the search for the spawning grounds for the various species of eels, and identifying the population impacts of different stages of the life cycle.
Anisakis is a genus of parasitic nematodes that have life cycles involving fish and marine mammals. They are infective to humans and cause anisakiasis. People who produce immunoglobulin E in response to this parasite may subsequently have an allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis, after eating fish infected with Anisakis species.
Acanthocheilonema is a genus within the family Onchocercidae which comprises mainly tropical parasitic worms. Cobbold created the genus Acanthocheilonema with only one species, Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides, which was collected from aardwolf in the region of South Africa in the nineteenth century. These parasites have a wide range of mammalian species as hosts, including members of Carnivora, Macroscelidea, Rodentia, Pholidota, Edentata, and Marsupialia. Many species among several genera of filarioids exhibit a high degree of endemicity in studies done on mammalian species in Japan. However, no concrete evidence has confirmed any endemic species in the genus Acanthocheilonema.
Heterorhabditis is a genus of nematodes belonging to the order Rhabditida. All species of this genus are obligate parasites of insects, and some are used as biological control agents for the control of pest insects.
Anguillicoloides crassus is a parasitic nematode worm that lives in the swimbladders of eels and appears to spread easily among eel populations after introduction to a body of water. It is considered to be one of the threats to the sustainability of populations of European eel. It was introduced to the European continent in the 1980s, where it was reported independently from Germany and Italy in 1982, having probably been introduced from Taiwan. It is thought to have reached England in 1987 from continental Europe. It is a natural parasite of the Japanese eel in its native range.
The Anisakidae are a family of intestinal nematodes (roundworms). The larvae of these worms can cause anisakiasis when ingested by humans, in raw or insufficiently cooked fish.
The nematodes, roundworms or eelworms constitute the phylum Nematoda. They are a diverse animal phylum inhabiting a broad range of environments. Most species are free-living, feeding on microorganisms, but many species are parasitic. The parasitic worms (helminths) are the cause of soil-transmitted helminthiases.
Myleusnema bicornis is an intestinal parasite of Myleus ternetzi, or "Ternetz's Silver Dollar", a freshwater Characoid fish commonly found in the French Guiana river. M. bicornis has several unusual morphological characteristics, namely the two postcloacal "horns" in the posterior of males, and a separate elongated cephalic region (head) that may be extended and retracted. These features differ vastly from other Cosmocercoidean nematodes, as well as any others within the family Kathlaniidae, and as such necessitate the creation of the new genus Myleusnema; however, no genetic taxonomic studies have been performed.
Capillariidae is a family of parasitic nematodes. All its members are parasites in vertebrates when they are in their adult stage.
Huffmanela is a genus of parasitic nematodes, belonging to the family Trichosomoididae.
The Trichosomoididae is a family of nematodes.
Anguillicoloides novaezelandiae is a parasitic nematode worm that lives in the swimbladders of eels, particularly Anguilla australiensis, Anguilla anguilla and Anguilla dieffenbachii. Specimens have been located in Italy and New Zealand.
Philometra priacanthi is a species of parasitic nematode of fishes. Its name is derived from its host species, Priacanthus hamrur. It possesses dorsal lamella-like structures on the distal part of its gubernaculum, which can also be found on other of its cogenerates. The only species with a dorsal protuberance near the gubernaculum's end is P. priacanthi, however. P. lateolabracis can be distinguished from the former by the lateral caudal mounds separated dorsally, narrower lamella-like structures on its gubernaculum, shorter spicules, and by the testis extending anteriorly. Other gonad-infecting species differ from this one by possessing a smooth gubernaculum, and their spicules being of different lengths. Seven gonad-infecting species of Philometra can be distinguished from P. priacanthi by their host types, as well as by geographical distribution.
Philometra cyanopodi is a species of parasitic nematode of fishes, first found off New Caledonia in the South Pacific, in the gonads of Epinephelus cyanopodus. This species is characterized mainly by: length of spicules and length and structure of its gubernaculum; structure of male caudal end; body size; location in host and types of hosts.
Philometra fasciati is a species of parasitic nematode of fishes, first found off New Caledonia in the South Pacific, in the gonads Epinephelus fasciatus. This species is characterized mainly by: length of spicules and length and structure of its gubernaculum; structure of male caudal end; body size; location in host and types of hosts.
Cucullanus is a genus of parasitic nematodes. The genus includes more than 100 species.
Phasmarhabditis (Greek: Phasma = (φάσμα ; rhabditis = is a genus of bacterial-feeding nematodes which are facultative parasites whose primary hosts are terrestrial gastropods. The name comes from Greek: Phasma- (φάσμα ; rhabditis = rod-like (ῥάβδος. The genus is made up of 18 species including P. hermaphrodita, P. californica, P. neopapillosa, P. papillosa, P. apuliae, P. bohemica, P. bonaquaense, P. huizhouensis, P. nidrosiensis, P. valida and P. tawfiki.
Heydenius is a collective group genus of fossil mermithid nematodes from the Tertiary period that cannot be placed in extant genera.
František Moravec is a Czech parasitologist who specialises on the Nematodes, especially the nematodes parasites of fishes. His research is mainly in the field of taxonomy of the Nematoda.
Cystidicolidae is a family of spirurian nematodes. It was described by Skrjabin in 1946. All members of the family are parasites of fish.
