Hookworm-->necator+americanus

Hookworm //Necator americanus//
 * Class**: secernentea
 * Phyla:** Nematoda


 * Location**: Tropical and subtropical climates.


 * Description of habitat:** Warm, sunny areas. In places where people don't wear shoes or stockings and the soil is contaminated by human excrement.


 * Living Requirements:** Must have loose moist soil or mud where the worms can easily attach to soles of victims.


 * Size**: Males- 5-9mm. Females- 9-11mm.


 * Life Cycle**: The hookworm larva is picked up from lose, moist soil by not wearing shoes where it travels to the lungs. It then goes to the small intestine where it will attach its hooks there and feed off the nutrients passing threw. The larva matures and the females will produce up to 30,000 eggs a day.


 * Male/Female differences:** The only difference besides the fact that the females lay eggs is that the females are also slightly larger than the males in size.

Hookworm is a leading cause of maternal and child morbidity in the developing countries of the tropics and subtropics.
 * Facts:** Hookworms are thought to infect more than 600 million people world wide.

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/encyclopedia/entry/hookworm