Investigations into the free-living phase of the cat hookworm life cycle

Summary Laboratory studies were undertaken to evaluate the role of environmental factors on the development of free-living stages of the cat hookwormAncylostoma tubaeforme. An index of development calculated from the proportion of eggs that developed to the infective stage and the reciprocal of the development period, has suggested that the absence of high temperatures (26°–30°C) would significantly affect the L₃ population in contaminated soils.There were, however, no significant differences in the size and lipid content of L₃ that had developed at the different temperatures.