VMD 512: Zoo/Wild Animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

OPHIDASCARIASIS IN COMMON KRAIT

• Eggs of the ophidascarids are similar to the eggs of domestic animals, with thick walled and compact yolk mass. As with most nematode species, eggs of these parasites undergo larval development in intermediate host such as earth worms and become infective to other snakes.
• These larval stages undergo somatic migration which is a characteristic feature of these nematodes. The commonly encountered ascarids are Ophidascaris and Polydelplus sp which snakes acquire from frogs and rodents.