Species of the genus Elaphostrongylus parasite of Swedish cervidae. A description of E. alces n. sp.

A description of Elaphostrongylus alces n. sp., a parasite of moose (Alces alces L.), is given. The main features differing E. alces n. sp. from the other two investigated species are the bottle shaped oesophagus and the oval bursa, which is about 150 microns x 200 microns. E. rangiferi Mitskevith, 1960, a parasite of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) and E. cervi Cameron, 1931, a parasite of red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) have both a club shaped or cylindrical oesophagus and a circular bursa. The bursa of E. rangiferi is about 160 microns in diameter, and the bursa of E. cervi is about 190 microns. Each species has been found only in its normal host.