Parasitic worm question

[David_F]

Maybe this belongs in the "Other Invertebrates" forum but the worm was found in a toads mouth so....

My co-worker found a Woodhouse's toad tonight in with a worm hanging out of its mouth. He asked me what kind of worm it was (as if I'm gonna know ) and, after a google search, >>this<< is what I came up with. I know I can't ID something like this with just a photo but it's the closest I can get. My question is, what would this type of worm be doing exiting the toads mouth? Is this normal? According to the life-cycle diagram in the link (and the fact that it died very quickly) this worm doesn't survive outside of the hosts body. Are there other parasitic worms whose life-cycle requires them to leave the hosts body to lay eggs?

Anyway, it's not an urgent question. Just curious.

Thanks.

 

[xelda]

There are several types of nematodes that specifically burrow towards the lungs so that they get coughed up, swallowed, then passed into the digestive tract where they mature and reproduce. If you find a multitude of worms inside the toad's mouth, they could be lungworm larvae (still a type of nematode). My first snake I ever owned had them.

 

[David_F]

There are several types of nematodes that specifically burrow towards the lungs so that they get coughed up, swallowed, then passed into the digestive tract where they mature and reproduce. If you find a multitude of worms inside the toad's mouth, they could be lungworm larvae (still a type of nematode). My first snake I ever owned had them.

Thanks. Probably won't ever really know what it was. It was just kind of weird. Hope none of my animals get any of those nasty buggers.