Equine L3 Identification

Nematode Larvae	Tail of Sheath	Intestinal Cells			Other
		No.	Cell Shape	Definition
Small Strongyles
Cyathostomes	long filamentous	8	triangular
Other small strongyles	long filamentous	8-16
Poteriostomum	long filamentous	16	pentagonal	well defined	medium larvae, broad
Large strongyles
Tridontophorus	long filamentous	18-20	rectangular	well defined	medium length, broad
Strongylus equinus	long filamentous	16	rectangular	poorly defined	long larvae, thin
Strongylus edentatus	long filamentous	18-20	elongated	poorly defined	short larvae, thin
Strongylus vulgaris	long filamentous	28-32	rectangular	well defined	long larvae, broad
Other
Strongyloides	no sheath				oesophagus > a third of larval length, tail often truncated
Trichostrongylus westeri	short	16
Free living nematodes		rhabditiform oesophagus