Parasitic infections of the African dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) and the ornate Nile monitor (Varanus ornatus) from Nigeria

Abstract

The parasitic infections of market derived Osteolaemus tetraspis from the rainforest and Varanus ornatus from locations in the savanna-mosaic and the rainforest of southern Nigeria were investigated. Parasites recovered from O. tetraspis included members of the Pentastomida, Trematoda and Nematoda. An undescribed pentastomid belonging to the family Sebekidae was recovered from O. tetraspis. The same parasite was also found to parasitize V. ornatus from the rainforest. Other parasites found in O. tetraspis were Pseudoneodiplostomum thomasi, Dujardinascaris sp. and larva of a Camallanus sp. Varanus ornatus from the rainforest and the derived savanna had some parasites including Duthiersia fimbriata, an unidentified pseudophyllidean cestode and Tanqua tiara in common. Cosmocerca ornata and Oswaldocruzia hoepplii were restricted to hosts from the derived savanna while the unidentified trematode occurred only in lizards from the rainforest. The unidentified pseudophyllidean cestode bears a close resemblance to Probothriocephalus, a cestode previously reported only from deep water teleosts. Pseudoneodiplostomum thomasi and Duthiersia fimbriata are new locality records for Nigeria.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Ortleppascaris sinensis sp. nov. (Nematoda: Ascaridoidea) from the Chinese alligator Alligator sinensis

“…The male has a slender, sharp gubernaculum (figs 3E, 4D) and alate spicules (figs 3D, 4E). The male tail is slender, pointed, slightly curved ventrally, and bears on each side four widely spaced precloacal papillae, two narrow spaced paracloacal, one subdorsal and two subventral postcloacal papillae, and one lateral papilla at the level of the centre of the gubernaculum (figs 1C and 3D). The mature female is wide in the posterior third of the body, with a long, tapering tail (figs 2D, 3C).…”

“…Crocodiles, in common with other reptiles, usually harbour a wide variety of protozoan and metazoan external and internal parasites (Tellez, 2013). In other parts of the world, information on parasitic infections of crocodiles is richly available (Paperna & Lainson, 2003; Enabulele et al , 2013). One species of pentastome ( Sebekia oxycephala ), two species of nematodes ( Dujardinascaris waltoni and Multicaecum tenuicolle ), four species of trematodes ( Polycotyle ornata , Acanthostomum coronarium , Archaeodiplostomum acetabulatum and Pseudocrocodilicola americaniense ) and one species of hemogregarine ( Haemogregarina crocodilnorum ) were recovered from American alligators from South Carolina (Hazen et al , 1978).…”

Gastrointestinal helminths of lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) from Egypt

“…The two forms can be morphologically distinguished on the basis of presence or absence of posterior pores in the scolex [57] . Few reports were recorded on African D. fimbriata [58,59] . Woodland [56,59] and Elmahy and Harras [60] gave full descriptions for D. fimbriata.…”

“…Few reports were recorded on African D. fimbriata [58,59] . Woodland [56,59] and Elmahy and Harras [60] gave full descriptions for D. fimbriata.…”

Morphological Identification Nematodes Tanqua tiara Found on Gastric Varanus salvator at East Java

“…Tanqua tiara (T. tiara) is the gastric nematode of Varanus salvator (V. salvator) [1][2][3][4], this worms first identified by [5] as Ascaris tiara and enhanced being genus Tanqua by [6].…”