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Ecological aspects influencing the helminth community of the wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus in Dunas de Mira, Portugal

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Abstract

This paper presents the first extensive data on the helminth community of the wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus in a coastal sand dune area in Portugal. The 557 hosts analysed in this study were trapped seasonally between autumn 2002 and summer 2005 across 6 habitat types. Twelve helminth species were detected among which, Taenia parva larvae, Angiostrongylus dujardini, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Syphacia stroma and S. frederici constitute the component species, accounting for 98.7% of all worms. H. polygyrus was the most prevalent helminth parasite. Species richness varied according to habitat and season. The highest species richness was found in sand dunes during winter whereas the lowest was detected along lake margins also during the winter. Some differences in prevalence and mean intensity values were found in relation to year (T. parva larvae and H. polygyrus), habitat (A. dujardini), season (T. parva larvae, H. polygyrus, A. dujardini and S. stroma) and host sex (T. parva larvae and S. stroma). These differences are discussed both in view of the host’s biology and habitat characteristics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratori de Parasitologia, Departament de Microbiologia i Parasitologia Sanitàries, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, sn, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    Catarina Eira, Jordi Torres & Jordi Miquel

  2. Departamento de Biologia, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal

    José Vingada

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  1. Catarina Eira
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  2. Jordi Torres
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  3. José Vingada
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  4. Jordi Miquel
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Correspondence to Catarina Eira.

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Eira, C., Torres, J., Vingada, J. et al. Ecological aspects influencing the helminth community of the wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus in Dunas de Mira, Portugal. Acta Parasit. 51, 300–308 (2006). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11686-006-0046-0

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