Protozoa and digestive tract parameters in Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and Black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou), with description of Entodinium taurinus n. sp.

Abstract

Rumen contents from four blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and six black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou) were collected f rom two l ocati ons during two winter culling seasons. A total of 16 species of protozoa were found in blue wildebeest with Dasytricha ruminantium, Opisthotrichum janus and Ostracodinium gracile occurring in all four animals. In black wildebeest, 23 species of protozoa were observed with only Diplodinium bubalidis f. bubalidis and Ostracodinium damaliscus being present in all animals. In the blue wildebeest, the total number of species in an individual animal varied from 9 -11 and in the black wildebeest, the number ranged from 4 -14 species per animal.Concentrations of cells per ml ranged from 1110 to 5880 in the blue wildebeest and 3120 to 6240 in the black wildebeest. This study is the first report on protozoa species in the blue and black wildebeest. A new species of Entodinium is described, Entodinium taurinus n. sp., observed in the rumen contents of three blue wildebeest. Several physical parameters of the 2 digestive tract were also measured, including distribution, pH, temperature and density of gastrointestinal contents in different sections of the total tract. In vitro gas production was estimated for rumen, cecum and colon contents.

Design and Validation of Four New Primers for Next-Generation Sequencing To Target the 18S rRNA Genes of Gastrointestinal Ciliate Protozoa

“…Previously, between 16 and 24 rumen ciliate species, represented by 1 to 9 genera, were found in in studies of wild reindeer (9,(35)(36)(37)(38)(39), wild musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) (6), wildebeest (Connochaetes spp.) (40), Kafue lechwe antelope (Kobus leche kafuensis) (41), Sassaby antelope (Damaliscus lunatus) (10), and tsessebe antelope (Damaliscus lunatus lunatus) (42).…”

Rumen ciliates in the African (Cape) buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer) living in the vicinity of the Orpen Gate entrance into Kruger National Park, South Africa

“…It is of interest that the two genera, Isotricha and Polyplastron, have not been found in this study or in the wildebeest from South Africa (Booyse and Dehority 2012). Neither were they present in the fauna of the hartebeest or wildebeest sampled in Kenya (Dehority 2003).…”

“…For animal 8, 76 % of the fauna were Ostracodinium and Dasytricha. In comparison (Booyse and Dehority 2012), one wildebeest was Entodinium-free, with Diplodinium bubalidus, Ostracodium damaliscus and Ostracodinium gracile comprising 98% of the total. Although diets were different, Towne et al (1990) sampled 364 steers in feedlot fed high concentrate, of which 47 were Entodinium-free.…”

“…Perhaps a lowering of rumen pH causes environmental changes in the rumen which favor growth of Entodinium species. Rumen contents from 10 wildebeest (four Blue and 6 Black), living in South Africa and consuming natural forages were studied by Booyse and Dehority (2012), and the percentage Entodinium was found to range between 0 and22.4. In the present study with African buffalo, also described as a grazer or grass eater, the percentage of Entodinium ranged from 0 in two animals up to 33.4%.…”

Comparative omasum anatomy in ruminants: Relationships with natural diet, digestive physiology, and general considerations on allometric investigations

“…Anatomical measurements were either taken from existing publications (Bonin, Tremblay, & Côté, ; Booyse & Dehority, ; Church, ; Clauss, Hofmann, Hummel, et al, ; Clauss, Hummel, Vercammen, & Streich, ; Clauss, Hummel, Völlm, Lorenz, & Hofmann, ; Clauss, Reese, & Eulenberger, ; Geiger, Hofmann, & König, ; Hofmann, ; Hofmann, Geiger, & König, ; Hofmann, Knight, & Skinner, ; Holand & Staaland, ; Holtenius & Björnhag, ; Jerbi, Bayoudh, Clauss, & Pérez, ; Jerbi & Pérez, ; Jiang et al, ; Lauwers, ; Ledger & Smith, ; Li, Yuan, & Zhou, ; Mathiesen et al, ; McSweeney, ; Nagy & Regelin, ; Pérez, Erdogan, & Ungerfeld, ; Pérez & Ungerfeld, ; Pérez & Vazquez, ; Pfeiffer, ; Reissig, ; Sauer et al, ; Sauer et al, ; Sauer, Bertelsen, Lund, Weisbjerg, & Clauss, ; Sibbald & Milne, ; Staaland, Adamczewski, & Gunn, ; Stafford & Stafford, ; Tahas et al, ; Takatsuki, ; Werner, ), or from previously unpublished observations during dissections performed by both senior authors. The data are given in the electronic Supporting Information.…”