Nematóides do Brasil. Parte V: nematóides de mamíferos

Trichostrongylina (Nematoda, Heligmosomoidea) coparasites in Dasyprocta fuliginosa Wagler (Rodentia, Dasyproctidae) from Brazil, with the re-establishment of the genus Avellaria Freitas & Lent and the description of two new species

Two new tichostrongylid nematodes of the family Viannaiidae Durette-Desset & Chabaud, 1981 coparasites in Dasyprocta fuliginosa Wagler, 1832 from the State of Amazonas, Brazil, are described: Viannella trichospicula sp. nov. is differentiated from the other species of the genus by the extreme slenderness of its spicules. Avellaria intermedia sp. nov. is distinguished from the single type species Avellaria avellari Freitas & Lent, 1934, by a smaller number of cuticular ridges (17 versus 27), a higher ratio of spicule length/ body length (8% versus 5.6%) and spicules with a single tip. This genus, synonymized with the genus Viannella Travassos, 1918, by Durette-Desset (1968) is re-established, the female being didelphic. It is the first record of a nematode of the family Viannaiidae in a host of the family Dasyproctidae Bonaparte, 1838.

Natural infection of Oryctolagus cuniculus (Lagomorpha, Leporidae) by Gongylonema neoplasticum (Nematoda, Gongylonematidae) in Portugal

Gongylonema neoplasticum was identified in the oesophagus of 14 wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Portugal. This is the first record of Gongylonema neoplasticum in a naturally infected lagomorph species in Europe. This paper presents the most relevant measurements of adult worms and some of their surface features seen by scanning electron microscopy. Epidemiological aspects of G. neoplasticum such as geographical distribution, host spectrum and biological features are discussed.

A survey of gastrointestinal helminths in cats of the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites in 135 cats over 1 year of age and inhabiting the metropolitan region of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was investigated by necropsy. These animals had two distinct origins: 99 cats (29 males and 70 females) were derived by capture in public areas (feral/stray) and 36 (12 males and 24 females) from shelters. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites was 89.6%. The following parasites, with their respective prevalence in parenthesis, were found: Dipylidium caninum (52.6%), Ancylostoma braziliense (65.9%), Ancylostoma tubaeforme (8.9%), Toxocara cati (25.2%), Toxascaris leonina (11.9%), Physaloptera praeputialis (9.6%). Concurrent infections with two or more parasites were recorded in 59.5% of the individuals. Of the 121 parasitized cats, 94 were feral/strays and 27 were from shelters. Among feral/stray cats, 80 were infected with A. braziliense (85%) and 17 of the shelter felids were infected with D. caninum (63%). Feral/stray cats had higher worm intensities (6411/94-68.2) than shelter cats (992/27-36.7). The helminth parasites most frequently found in feral/stray cats were Ancylostoma braziliense (47.5%) and D. caninum (47%) while in shelter cats, D. caninum was the predominant species (85.2%). Twenty seven cats (22.3%) had only A. braziliense and 19 (15.7%) were parasitized only with D. caninum. Among those cats harboring mixed infections A. braziliense and D. caninum were the species more frequently found (P < 0.001).

PHYLOGENY FOR SPECIES OF HAEMONCHUS (NEMATODA: TRICHOSTRONGYLOIDEA): CONSIDERATIONS OF THEIR EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY AND GLOBAL BIOGEOGRAPHY AMONG CAMELIDAE AND PECORA (ARTIODACTYLA)

Phylogenetic analysis of 25 morphological characters among the 12 species of Haemonchus resulted in 1 most parsimonious tree (60 steps; consistency index = 0.67, retention index = 0.80). Monophyly for Haemonchus was diagnosed by 3 unequivocal synapomorphies, including the asymmetric origin of the dorsal ray, relative size of the ventral rays, and the presence of a barb on each spicule tip. Species of Haemonchus have complex histories with respect to host and geographic associations: (1) origins in Africa with basal diversification in antelopes (H. krugeri, H. lawrencei, H. dinniki, H. horaki), (2) independent events of colonization for those species in Caprini and Bovinae (H. contortus, H. placei, H. bedfordi, H. similis), (3) colonization and development of core host associations within Camelidae (H. longistipes) and among Antilopinae, Tragelaphini, and Giraffidae (H. mitchelli, H. okapiae, H. vegliai), and (4) geographically widespread species that are represented only by those that have been translocated with domestic stock. The North American fauna is characterized by 3 introduced and exotic species, H. placei, H. contortus, H. similis, which emphasizes the importance of continued documentation of faunal diversity in the context of predictive foundations derived from phylogenetic studies. Satellite associations for species of Haemonchus, particularly among Cervidae and Camelidae in the Neotropics and Cervidae, Antilocapridae, and possibly wild Caprinae in the Nearctic, have been a consequence of introductions and exchange of parasites at historical interfaces for managed and natural ecosystems. Such distributions are emblematic of the overriding significance of anthropogenic factors as determinants of the global distributions for pathogenic parasites in domestic and wild ruminants.

Helminths of rabbits (Lagomorpha, Leporidae) deposited in the Helminthological Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute

Helminth samples (n = 35) recovered from Oryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus, 1758) Lilljeborg, 1873 (3) and from another rabbit species, Sylvilagus brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758) Thomas, 1901 (32), from August 1909 to February 1948 and that are deposited in the Helminthological Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute were analyzed. The studied samples were represented by the cysticercus of the cestode Taenia pisiformis (Bloch, 1780) and by the nematodes Passalurus ambiguus (Rudolphi, 1819), Vianella fariasi (Travassos, 1915), Longistriata perfida Travassos, 1943, Trichostrongylus retortaeformis (Zeder, 1800). The scope of the present investigation is to survey the parasites infecting these hosts, commonly used as laboratory animal models in scientific research and supply figurative data on the helminths in order to provide their easy identification, since the presence of autochthonous parasite burdens, if undetected or misinterpreted, can alter the final results of experimental assays, mainly those related to immunological approaches, when cross-reactions can occur.

Capillariidae eggs found in the urine of a free ranging maned wolf from Argentina

The first finding of a Capillariid in the urinary tract of a free ranging maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is described. The individual was an adult male attacked by dogs in the locality of Cayastacito (Santa Fe, Argentina, 31 degrees 05' S, 60 degrees 34' W). Eggs found in urine measured 64.6-66.9 micrometer (mean 65.4 micrometer) x 26.9-31 micrometer (mean 29 micrometer). Further studies are needed to determine whether this finding corresponds to a new Capillariid species, related to C. brachyurus, or it is an already described species that has been introduced by domestic dogs.

Worm burdens in outbred and inbred laboratory rats with morphometric data on Syphacia muris (Yamaguti, 1935) Yamaguti, 1941 (Nematoda, Oxyuroidea)

Syphacia muris worm burdens were evaluated in the rat Rattus norvegicus of the strains Wistar (outbred), Low/M and AM/2/Torr (inbred), maintained conventionally in institutional animal houses in Brazil. Morphometrics and illustration data for S. muris recovered from Brazilian laboratory rats are provided for the first time since its proposition in 1935.

Description of males of Parabronema pecariae Ivaschkin, 1960 (Nematoda, Habronematoidea) parasitizing peccaries (Mammalia, Tayassuidae) in Brazil

Nematodes studied herein and identified as Parabronema pecariae were collected in 1936 in the States of Rio de Janeiro and Pará and in 1940 in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. This species was proposed, with basis on female specimens that had been described earlier as Parabronema sp. Although the presence of males of P. pecariae was previously reported in Brazil, their description was not provided. The present paper deals with the first complete morphometric data on male specimens of P. pecariae recovered from peccaries (Pecari tajacu and Tayassu pecari).