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Epidemiology and biology of nematodofauna affecting Testudo hermanni, Testudo graeca and Testudo marginata in Italy

Parasitology Research volume 98, Article number: 14 (2005) Cite this article

Abstract

Tortoises of the genus Testudo living in Italy are Testudo hermanni, Testudo graeca and Testudo marginata. Although a great deal of information has been acquired on the internal medicine and surgery on these animals, little is known of their parasitological fauna. A survey on the presence of gastro-intestinal parasitic nematodes in tortoises bred in Italy was carried out to acquire extensive epidemiological data. Stool samples of 62 tortoises (37 T. hermanni hermanni, 13 T. graeca, 6 T. hermanni boettgeri and 6 T. marginata) were macroscopically examined and subjected to qualitative (flotation and Baermann techniques) and quantitative (McMaster technique) microscopic examinations. Adult nematodes were identified using morphological keys. Eggs of oxyurids (species indistinguishable) and adults of Alaeuris numidica, Mehdiella microstoma, Mehdiella uncinata, Tachygonetria longicollis, Tachygonetria conica and Tachygonetria palearcticus (Oxyurida, Pharyngodonidae); larvae and adults of Atractis dactyluris (Ascaridida, Atractidae); and eggs and adults of Angusticaecum holopterum (Ascaridida, Ascarididae) were identified in all animals >1 year, whereas all tortoises <1 year of age were parasite-free. Moreover, this study reports for the first time A. numidica and M. microstoma in T. marginata. This work shows that nematodes affecting tortoises are diffused in Italy and highlights the need to investigate their epidemiology more in depth.

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Acknowledgement

The authors wish to thank Ginger Robertson (Veterinary School, Louisiana State University) for revising the English language of the text. The authors declare that the experiments comply with the current laws of the country in which they were performed.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Comparative Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Piazza Aldo Moro 45, 64100, Teramo, Italy

    Donato Traversa, Raffaella Iorio & Angelo Cameli

  2. Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy

    Gioia Capelli

  3. CBGP, Campus International de Baillarguet, CS 30016, 34988, Montferrier Sur Lez Cédex, France

    Salah Bouamer

  4. Department of Production Science, Engineering, Mechanics and Economy, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy

    Annunziata Giangaspero

Authors
  1. Donato Traversa
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  2. Gioia Capelli
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  3. Raffaella Iorio
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  4. Salah Bouamer
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  5. Angelo Cameli
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  6. Annunziata Giangaspero
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Correspondence to Donato Traversa.

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Traversa, D., Capelli, G., Iorio, R. et al. Epidemiology and biology of nematodofauna affecting Testudo hermanni, Testudo graeca and Testudo marginata in Italy. Parasitol Res 98, 14 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-0019-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-0019-5

Keywords

  • Testudo
  • Nematoda
  • Pharyngodonidae
  • Atractidae
  • Ascarididae
  • Epidemiology
  • Biology