Dracunculus brasiliensis sp. n. (Nematoda: Dracunculidae) from the anaconda, Eunectes murinus (Ophidia: Boidae)

Abstract

Dracunculus brasiliensis sp. n. (Dracunculidae), is described based on a single female specimen found in the body cavity of the anaconda, Eunectes murinus (L.) (Ophidia: Boidae), from the Mexiana Island, Amazon River delta, Brazil and one female previously recorded from the subcutaneous tissue of this host species imported from South America into Europe (ZOO in the Czech Republic). The new species is characterised mainly by markedly large, anteriorly protruding dorsal and ventral double papillae of the internal circle and small lateral papillae of the same circle, a widely rounded caudal end, the excretory pore situated just posterior to the nerve ring, a distinctly transversely striated cuticle and by the length (396-429 mum) of larvae from uterus. This is the first species of Dracunculus described from reptiles in South America.

Endoparasites of exotic snakes (Ophidia)

“…Some publications describe new species of nematodes obtained from snakes. In India, a new capillarid species of Paracapillaria (Ophidiocapillaria) was found in the Indian cobra Naja naja (Elapidae) (De, 1998), in Brazil Ophidascaris durissus was detected in the rattlesnake Crotalus durissus (Viperidae) (Panizzutti et al, 2003), and in the Amazon Estuary -a nematode Dracunculus brasiliensis was found in the green anaconda Eunectes murinus (Boidae) (Moravec & Santos, 2009). Records of Protozoa in exotic snakes are rare.…”

New records of Helminths in Reptiles from five states of Brazil

“…Paracapillaria, Dracunculus and Physaloptera are considered generalists, being frequently reported infecting amphibians and reptiles (Torres and Puga, 1996;Timi et al, 2007;Moravec and Santos, 2009;Pereira et al, 2012).…”

“…Dracunculus brasiliensis (Moravec and Santos, 2009) was described infecting the green anaconda Eunectes murinus, being the only species of Dracunculus reported in South American reptiles (Moravec and Santos, 2009). Helicops angulatus and Mato Grosso state is a new host and new locality record for the D. brasiliensis.…”

Identification of Antigenic Determinants, Solvent Accessibility and MHC Binders of Antigen NADH Dehydrogenase Subunit 5 from a Little Dragon from Medina (Dracunculusmedinensis)

“…D.medinesis (a little dragon from Medina) is the causative agent and it is the only species from the 12 species of Dracunculus [7][8][9][10] which infects humans, commonly known as "Guinea Worm Disease (GWD)". The other Dracunculus species generally resides in the internal tissues and body cavities of non-human mammals and reptiles (snake and turtles) [11].…”