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First description of gastrointestinal nematodes of Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia): the case of Camelostrongylus mentulatus as a paradigm of phylogenic and specific relationship between the parasite and its ancient host

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Abstract

The gastrointestinal helminth fauna of 24 Barbary sheep or Aoudad (Ammotragus lervia sahariensis) maintained in the Parque de Rescate de la Fauna Sahariana (PRFS, CSIC, Almeria, Spain) was analyzed. Most animals (87.5 %) were parasitized, and multiple infections were highly present. The following species were identified: Camelostrongylus mentulatus, Teladorsagia circumcincta, Marshallagia marshalli, Ostertagia ostertagi, O. leptospicularis, O. lyrata, Haemonchus contortus, Teladorsagia trifurcata, Trichostrongylus vitrinus, T. colubriformis, T. probolorus, T. capricola, Nematodirus spathiger, N. abnormalis, N. filicollis, N. helvetianus, Trichuris spp. and Skrjabinema ovis. Teladorsagia circumcincta was the most prevalent nematode in abomasum (52.6 %) followed by C. mentulatus (50 %). However, this latter nematode had the greater mean intensity and abundance. In the small intestine, T. colubriformis and T. vitrinus had the highest prevalence (36.4 %); the last one showed also the greater mean intensity and abundance. It should be emphasized the presence of Skrjabinema ovis (prevalence 39.1 %) in the large intestine, showing the greater mean abundance and intensity, although with a low values. Camelostrongylus mentulatus could be the most primitive nematode of the family trichostrongylidae recovered in this study; attending to its high prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity, the possible specificity between this parasite and the Aoudad is discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the executive and staff of Parque de Rescate de la Fauna Sahariana. Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas. CSIC, for the permission and help for collecting the samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Parasitología y Enfermedades parasitarias, Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Regional “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Espinardo, Murcia, España

    E. Mayo, J. Ortiz, C. Martínez-Carrasco, S. Hervías & M. R. Ruiz de Ybáñez

  2. Departamento de Producción y Sanidad Animal y Ciencia, Salud Pública y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, Edificio Seminario, 46113, Moncada, Valencia, España

    M. M. Garijo

  3. Parque de Rescate de la Fauna Sahariana, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 04001, Almería, España

    G. Espeso

  4. Unidad Asociada de Ecología e Inmunología parasitaria, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, España

    J. Ortiz, C. Martínez-Carrasco & M. R. Ruiz de Ybáñez

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  1. E. Mayo
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  2. J. Ortiz
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Correspondence to M. R. Ruiz de Ybáñez.

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Mayo, E., Ortiz, J., Martínez-Carrasco, C. et al. First description of gastrointestinal nematodes of Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia): the case of Camelostrongylus mentulatus as a paradigm of phylogenic and specific relationship between the parasite and its ancient host. Vet Res Commun 37, 209–215 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-013-9563-0

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