Armillifer

Armillifer
Armillifer armillatus from the respiratory tract of Python sebae
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Ichthyostraca
Order:	Porocephalida
Family:	Porocephalidae
Subfamily:	Armilliferinae
Genus:	Armillifer Sambon, 1922
Synonyms
Ligamifer Heymons, 1932

Armillifer is a genus of tongue worms in the subclass Pentastomida.[1][2] It contains the following species:[3]

• Armillifer aborealis Riley & Self, 1981
• Armillifer agkistrodontis Self & Kuntz, 1966
• Armillifer armillatus (Wyman, 1845)
• Armillifer australis Heymons, 1935
• Armillifer grandis (Hett, 1915)
• Armillifer mazzai (Sambon, 1922)
• Armillifer moniliformis (Diesing, 1836)
• Armillifer yoshidai Kishida, 1928

Interactions with humans

Obligate parasites, Armillifer worms had been linked to human disease as early as 1847, although infections are rare and are caused by human consumption of undercooked meat of a host. The majority of infections are caused by the tropical African species Armillifer armillatus. Only 45% of patients in one study experienced symptoms from the infection. Unfortunately, 67% of patients with worm infections in their eyes were driven permanently blind by the parasite.[4]

References

1. R. Heymons (1935). "Pentastomida". In H. G. Bronns (ed.). Klassen und Ordnungen des Tierreichs. Fünfter Band. IV Abteilung, 1. Buch. Leipzig: Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft m.b.H. pp. 1–268 pp.
2. J. T. Self (1969). "Biological relationships of the Pentastomida: a bibliography on the Pentastomida". Experimental Parasitology. 24 (1): 63–119. doi:10.1016/0014-4894(69)90222-7. PMID 4887218.
3. "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Armillifer Sambon, 1922". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2022-12-11.
4. Ioannou, Petros; Vamvoukaki, Rodanthi (2019). "Armillifer Infections in Humans: A Systematic Review". Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease. 4 (2): 80. doi:10.3390/tropicalmed4020080. ISSN 2414-6366. PMC 6631905. PMID 31100831.