Coprologic survey of endoparasites from Darwin's fox (Pseudalopex fulvipes) in Chiloé, Chile

Abstract

RESUMENUn total de 189 heces del zorro de Darwin (Pseudalopex fulvipes [Martin, 1837]) en peligro crítico de extinción, de diferentes localidades de la isla de Chiloé en el sur de Chile, se examinaron en busca de huevos de parásitos y oocitos usando la técnica de flotación en azúcar. Los resultados mostraron que el 21,2% de las muestras fue positivo a nueve helmintos y/o a un protozoo. Los parásitos con la mayor prevalencia fueron nematodos del orden Ascaridida y un cestodo Spirometra. Otros endoparásitos identificados incluyeron Capillaria sp., Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, Filaroides osleri, nematodos ancylostomatidos, Trichuris sp., Taenia sp., e Isospora sp. Las cargas parasitarias fueron mayores durante el invierno y en áreas con más perros domésticos. Todas estas especies y géneros son reportados por primera vez en el zorro de Darwin.

Description of gastrointestinal parasitism through coprologic survey in Darwin’s fox, Lycalopex fulvipes (Martin 1837), and kodkod, Leopardus guigna (Molina 1782), in Chiloé island, Chile

“…In comparison to the descriptions of Jiménez et al (2012), in the present study, the parasitic species found in the Darwin's fox only differ in trematode eggs and the nematode Aspiculuris sp., being the fi rst record of these parasites in this carnivore. Jiménez et al (2012) only determined the presence of eggs of the nematodes Capillarinae gen sp., T. canis, Toxascaris leonina, Filaroides osleri, ancylostomatid FIGURE 2. Gatrointestinal parasite richness of kodkod and Darwin's fox.…”

“…sugar fl otation), and the fact these authors collected and analysed faeces from distinct locations across the Chiloé Island. In addition, the method used by Jiménez et al (2012) for faeces collection was solely based on their visual identifi cation, based on size, shape and color, which according to our study can lead to a biased identifi cation. In the case of kodkod, description of found parasites differ from the reports of González-Acuña et al (2010), where only three nematodes were found: T. leonina in the necropsy of a specimen from San Antonio (33°37'S; 71°37'W), T. cati in a corpse from Pemuco (36°59'S; 71°58'W) and Mastophorus muris in fecal samples from the Laguna San Rafael National Park.…”

“…The parasitic fauna of these species is not completely registered and there is only one study on Darwin's fox faeces carried out in the Chiloé Island (Jiménez et al 2012). For kodkod, few parasitic studies have been performed mainly on the basis of necropsies of animals found dead, and not on coproparasitic exams (Fernández & Villalba 1984;González-Acuña et al 2010).…”

“…Similarly, if we analyze the total prevalence of parasite eggs and oocysts obtained by Jiménez et al (2012) (21.2%), this is evidently lower than the prevalence found in this study (60%). Differences in the identifi ed parasite species and prevalence could be due to use of one additional technique by Jiménez et al (2012) to identify parasites (i.e. sugar fl otation), and the fact these authors collected and analysed faeces from distinct locations across the Chiloé Island.…”

Sparganosis due to Spirometra sp. (Cestoda; Diphyllobothriidae) in captive meerkats (Suricata suricatta)

“…Additional neotropical carnivores have been reported to as hosts for Spirometra , including at least three canids, namely as the Darwin's fox ( Pseudalopex fulvipes ) ( Jiménez et al, 2012 ), the crab-eating fox ( Cerdocyon thous ), and the maned wolf ( Chrysocyon brachyurus ) ( Curi et al, 2010 ); and six felids, namely the jaguar ( Panthera onca ), the margay ( Leopardus wiedii ), the kodkod ( Leopardus guigna ), the southern tiger cat ( Leopardus guttulus ), the jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagoauroundi), and the cougar ( Acuña-Olea et al, 2020 ; Arrabal et al, 2020 ; Vieira et al, 2008 ). Molecular data, especially with matching morphological data, remains scarce for Spirometra isolates across the Americas.…”