Prevalence and intensity of pentastomid infection in two species of snakes from northeastern Brazil

This study aimed to evaluate the infection rates of snakes by pentastomids in the semi-arid region of Brazil. Fifteen snakes (four Micrurus ibiboboca (Merrem, 1820) and eleven Philodryas nattereri Steindachner, 1870) were collected between January and April of 2005, in the municipality of Crato (07...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brazilian journal of biology 2007-11, Vol.67 (4), p.759-763
Main Authors: Almeida, W O, Vasconcellos, A, Lopes, S G, Freire, E M X
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
BIOLOGY
Brazil
Cephalobaena
Colubridae - parasitology
Crustacea - classification
Elapidae - parasitology
endoparasites
Micrurus
neotropical region
Prevalence
Raillietiella
Tetrapoda
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Summary:This study aimed to evaluate the infection rates of snakes by pentastomids in the semi-arid region of Brazil. Fifteen snakes (four Micrurus ibiboboca (Merrem, 1820) and eleven Philodryas nattereri Steindachner, 1870) were collected between January and April of 2005, in the municipality of Crato (07 degrees 14' S and 39 degrees 24' W), State of Ceará, Brazil. Laboratorial analysis of the respiratory tracts of the sampled snakes indicated differences in host infection rates: four individuals of P. nattereri (36.4%) were infected by Cephalobaena tetrapoda Heymons, 1922 (mean infection intensity 1.5 +/- 0.28, 1-2) and three specimens (27.3%) by Raillietiella furcocerca (Diesing, 1863) (2.3 +/- 1.32, 1-5). Only one individual of M. ibiboboca (25%) was infected by a non-identified species of Raillietiella sp. These are the first data on pentastomid infection in snakes in Northeastern Brazil and both snake species comprise new host records for the pentastomids. The results also indicate that the generalist parasites C. tetrapoda and R. furcocerca share their definitive hosts.
ISSN:1519-6984
1678-4375
1519-6984
DOI:10.1590/S1519-69842007000400025