ABOMASAL PARASITES IN WILD SYMPATRIC CERVIDS, RED DEER, CERVUS ELAPHUS AND FALLOW DEER, DAMA DAMA, FROM THREE LOCALITIES ACROSS CENTRAL AND WESTERN SPAIN: RELATIONSHIP TO HOST DENSITY AND PARK MANAGEMENT

• Published in: The Journal of parasitology Vol. 90; no. 6; pp. 1378 - 1386
• Main Authors: Santín-Durán, Mónica, Alunda, José M, Hoberg, Eric P, de la Fuente, Concepción
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS American Society of Parasitologists 01-12-2004; Allen Press Inc
• Subjects: abomasum; Abomasum - parasitology; Animal Husbandry - methods; Animals; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Cattle; Cervidae; Cervus dama; Cervus elaphus; Climate change; Dama dama; Deer; Deer - parasitology; disease prevalence; Domestic animals; Fauna; Female; Female animals; Females; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gastrointestinal nematodes; General aspects; General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models; grazing; host-parasite relationships; Infections; Invertebrates; land management; land use; LIFE CYCLES-SURVEY; Male; Male animals; Males; Nematoda; nematode infections; Nematode Infections - epidemiology; Nematode Infections - parasitology; Nematode Infections - veterinary; Nematodes; Ostertagiinae; Parasite hosts; Parasites; Parasitic diseases; Parasitology; Phenols; Polymorphism; Population density; Prevalence; Ruminants; Sex Distribution; Social conditions; Spain - epidemiology; Species; Stomach Diseases - epidemiology; Stomach Diseases - parasitology; Stomach Diseases - veterinary; Sympatric populations; sympatric species; Taxonomy; Vegetation; wild deer; Spain; Europe; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Geographic distribution; Cervus elaphus; Parasite; Sympatry; Population dynamics; Host; Artiodactyla; Ungulata; Dama dama; Population density
• ISSN: 0022-3395; 1937-2345
• DOI: 10.1645/GE-3376

A survey of abomasal parasites in cervids from Central Spain was conducted at 3 sites, Quintos de Mora (Toledo), Maluéñez de Arriba (Cáceres), and La Herguijuela (Cáceres). Commonly occurring helminths belonged to 3 polymorphic species of the Ostertagiinae: Spiculopteragia asymmetrica/S. quadrispiculata, Ostertagia leptospicularis/O. kolchida, and O. drozdzi/O. ryjikovi. Trichostrongylus axei was found in very few cases. Ostertagia drozdzi/O. ryjikovi and the minor male morphotype, S. quadrispiculata, are reported for the first time in red deer from Spain. The 3 ostertagiine species are also reported for the first time in fallow deer from Spain. These 3 species of Ostertagiinae are primarily parasites of cervids, and nematode species characteristic of domestic ruminants were not present. Prevalence of infection by gastrointestinal parasites in cervids was high, ranging from 97.5 to 100%, across the 3 areas sampled. Mean intensity of infection and abundance showed a positive relationship to the population density of red deer. Helminth burdens were higher in fallow deer than in the sympatric red deer and may reflect the gregarious social structure and different foraging patterns of fallow deer.