Heart+Worm


 * Phyla:** Nematoda



__**Class:**__ Filarioidea/Secernentea

__**Scientific Name:**__ //Dirofilaria immitis//


 * __Location:__** United States, warmer regions of Canada, South America, the Middle East, southern Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Australia; pretty much anywhere mosquitos are found.

__**Size:**__ females are 25 – 30cm long and males are 2/3 the size


 * __Habitat:__** usually tropical countries and regions close to the equator


 * __Living Requirements:__** These worms are known to feed off the blood of it's host. The host's heart and blood vessels are an ideal place for them to live.


 * __Life Cycle:__** Heartworms are produced when mosquitos bites a host whose blood is infected with microfilaria. The microfilaria goes through two molts in a period of about 14 days. It then goes through three more stages before the mosquito bites another host where the larvae is transferred and goes through two more stages and arrive at the heart in about 90 days. About three months after reaching the heart, the heartworms reach maturity and continues to grow in size.


 * __Male & female differences:__** the females are larger in size than the males.


 * __Facts:__** Heartworms are usually found in cats and dogs. There is evidence that suggests that adult heartworms have a shorter lifespan in cats compared to a dog.





media type="custom" key="8675792"

Content retrieved from: [] ; [] Images retrieved from: [] ; [] ; Video retrieved from: []
 * Zookeeper: Shaiann Etwara**