Nematode fauna of the digestive tract of Siberian roe deer in Primorsky Krai

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to supplement information on the species composition of helminths of the Siberian roe deer.Materials and methods. Digestive tracts of seven Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) that died from various causes in Primorsky Krai (Russian Far East) from October 2017 to December 2020 were examined for the presence of helminths. Taxonomic differentiation of detected helminths was carried out basing their morphological peculiarities.Results and discussion. In all studied individuals of Siberian roe deer, only representatives of Nematoda were found. All of the nematodes were found in the abomasa. No helminths were detected in other parts of the digestive tract. There were found three species of Trichostrongylidae: Spiculopteragia spiculoptera, S. asymmetrica and Mazamastrongylus dagestanica. In addition, one species from Spiruridae, Pygarginema skrjabini, was detected. S. spiculoptera was found in all of the examined Siberian roe deer, thus, this species of nematode showed the highest extensity of infection in the study. The highest intensity of infection was noted for S. asymmetrica. And M. dagestanica was found only in one of the studied Siberian roe deer, in single specimens. P. skrjabini was found in single specimens in two of the studied Siberian roe deer. The species S. asymmetrica was recorded in Siberian roe deer for the first time.

Keywords

• fauna
• helminths
• nematodes
• digestive system
• wild ruminants
• roe deer
• capreolus pygargus
• far east
• russia