Muellerius

Muellerius
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Nematoda
Class:	Chromadorea
Order:	Rhabditida
Family:	Protostrongylidae
Genus:	Muellerius Cameron, 1927

Muellerius is a genus of parasitic nematodes (roundworms) belonging to the family Protostrongylidae. Species in this genus are commonly known as lungworms and primarily infect small ruminants such as sheep and goats. The most well-known species, Muellerius capillaris , is considered one of the most widespread lungworms of domestic and wild ruminants. ^{[1] [2]}

Morphology

Adult Muellerius worms are small, slender nematodes that inhabit the lung parenchyma of their hosts, typically within fibrotic nodules. Unlike some other lungworms, adults are not usually found free in the bronchi. First-stage larvae (L1) possess a characteristic dorsal spine on the tail, which is a key morphological feature used to differentiate Muellerius from other protostrongylid larvae during diagnostic examination. ^[3]

Taxonomy and nomenclature

Muellerius belongs to the order Strongylida, a group of nematodes characterized by parasitism in the respiratory or gastrointestinal systems of vertebrates. ^[4]

There are two species assigned to this genus: ^[1]

• Muellerius capillaris (Müller, 1889)
• Muellerius tenuispiculatus Gebauer, 1932

See also

• Dictyocaulus

References

1. "Muellerius Cameron, 1927". Global Biodiversity Information Facility . Retrieved 4 January 2026.
2. "Muellerius". CABI Compendium. 2019-11-20. doi:10.1079/cabicompendium.100232 . Retrieved 2026-01-03.
3. Bowman, Dwight D. (2021). Georgis' parasitology for veterinarians (11th ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier. ISBN   978-0-323-54396-5.
4. Anderson, R. C. (2000). "Introduction". Nematode parasites of vertebrates: their development and transmission (2nd Introduction. ed.). Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing. pp. 1–16. doi:10.1079/9780851994215.0001. ISBN   978-0-85199-421-5 . Retrieved 2026-01-03.