Host-Parasite list updating of Ciliates and fermentation in the digestive tract of wild miscellaneous herbivores in South Africa (RSA).

This article is dedicated to the Author, Burk Dehority, who became very ill with cancer. Fortunately he confirmed or corrected all identifications on ciliates in this article. This paper was 80% finished when he became ill. He unfortunately passed away in February 2016.

The effect of acid drinking water on rumen protozoa in the blesbok (Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi).

Rumen contents were collected from ten adult female blesbok, five from a mine area with only acid drinking water available and five from a control group consuming normal, non-polluted drinking water. The mean concentration of total protozoa in the normal water group was almost double that in the acid drinking water group, 24.9 x 10(3) versus 14.7 x 10(3). Percent of Entodinium was higher and Diplodinium lower in those animals drinking the acid water. The number of different protozoa species present in animals from both locations was fairly similar. Diplodinium bubalidis, Ostracodinium gracile and Diplodinium consors were present in the highest percentage in the normal water group, 18.8, 18.4 and 17.7 %, respectively. The same three species, plus Entodinium dubardi, were also highest in the acid water group, O. gracile, 21.3 %; D. consors, 12.6 %; E. dubardi, 11.4 % and D. bubalidis, 10.3 %. Seventeen species of protozoa found in this study were a new host record for the blesbok, bringing the total number of species reported from the blesbok to 29.

Construction and insertion of oesophageal cannulae for use in domestic ruminants.

The design of an oesophageal cannula for goats, sheep and cattle is described. The cannula consists of a base, threaded bar and stopper made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or wood. The surgical procedure in goats for inserting the cannula is described as well as how to keep the wound around the cannula clean.

Provisional clinical chemistry parameters in the African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus).

Pollution affects aquatic systems worldwide and there is an urgent need for efficient monitoring. Fish are generally sensitive to their environment and are thus considered to be valuable bioindicator species. The African Sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) is particularly important in this respect because of its very wide distribution. In order to use C. gariepinus as a bioindicator species its baseline clinical chemistry must be defined. Existing data are scarce, and the objective of this work was therefore to establish clinical chemistry parameters for C. gariepinus. Blood was collected from male and female catfish and a number of clinical chemistry parameters were determined. Plasma protein values, but particularly those of plasma albumin, were found to be very low, approximately half the value for dogs, but similar to the values in Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Plasma urea values in Sharptooth catfish were found to be much lower than in dogs, but only marginally lower than in Channel catfish. Plasma creatinine in Sharptooth catfish, however, was only a quarter of that of dogs and one third of that found in Channel catfish. These findings may have implications for using urea and/or creatinine as an index of renal glomerular filtration, as is done in mammals. Plasma enzyme activity ranges were much lower in Sharptooth catfish than in dogs, particularly for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). By comparison, Channel catfish have an even lower ALT activity range but an ALP range that is very similar to dogs. The implications for using these enzymes as markers for liver disease are not clear from these data, as factors such as plasma half-life and tissue distribution remain to be determined. The very low plasma thyroxine (T4) levels have important implications for laboratory personnel, who will have to set up calibration and standardisation adaptations for the methods that are generally designed for human samples. Although the sample size was too small for reliable comparisons, it appeared that there was little difference in the parameters measured between male and female fish. The values obtained are a useful starting point for using C. gariepinus as a bioindicator species.

Parasites of South African wildlife. XVI. Helminths of some antelope species from the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces.

The numbers and species of helminths recovered from one black wildebeest, Connochaetes gnou, three eland, Taurotragus oryx, 18 mountain reedbuck, Redunca fulvorufula, one red hartebeest, AIcelaphus buselaphus and two springbok, Antidorcas marsupialis, in the Mountain Zebra National Park, Eastern Cape Province; two black wildebeest, two grey rhebuck, Pelea capreolus, two mountain reedbuck and four springbok in the Karoo National Park, Western Cape Province; two bontebok, Damaliscus pygargus dorcas, two eland, two gemsbok, Oryx gazella and two springbok in the West Coast National Park, Western Cape Province; and a single springbok on a farm near Bredasdorp, Western Cape Province, are recorded. Nematodes belonging to a total of 12 genera and 20 species were identified. A single cestode was also recovered. Sixteen new host associations are recorded for the nematodes and one for the cestode Moniezia benedeni. Nematodirus spathiger had the widest host spectrum and with the exception of black wildebeest, was collected from all the host species examined.

Pentastomid infections in cichlid fishes in the Kruger National Park and the description of the infective larva of Subtriquetra rileyi n. sp.

During 1995, studies were conducted on the pentastome fauna of the cichlid fishes Tilapia rendalli and Oreochromis mossambicus in the Kruger National Park. The prevalence of infective pentastome larvae was 40.5% in T. rendalli and 9.2% in O. mossambicus. Encapsulated nymphs of Leiperia cincinnalis were taken from the mesentery, while Sebekia wedli was either encapsulated or free-living in the swim bladder. The subtriquetrids moved about freely in the swim bladder. L. cincinnalis was present in 0.5% of T. rendalli and 0.8% of O. mossambicus and additional descriptions and measurements of the nymphs are presented. S. wedli was present in 2.5% of O. mossambicus and a new Subtriquetra species, for which the name Subtriquetra riley n. sp. is proposed, in 7.5%. This ratio in T. rendalli was 40.5% and 2.2%, respectively. Of the infected T. rendalli, 89% harboured one or two sebekiid larvae, while a single fish harboured eight. Fish infected with S. rileyi contained only one larva each. The condition factor of infected T. rendalli was compared statistically to that of uninfected fish and no significant difference found. However, infected fish were significantly shorter and lighter than uninfected ones. S. rileyi differs from the other three known Subtriquetra spp., Subtriquetra subtriquetra, Subtriquetra megacephala and Subtriquetra shipleyi in both hook size and annulus counts. Furthermore, S. subtriquetra occurs in South American crocodilians (Riley 1986), and S. megacephala and S. shipleyi in crocodilians in India (Fain 1961). This is the first record of the genus occurring in Africa and although adult specimens of S. rileyi n. sp. were not obtained, we assume that the new species is specific to Nile crocodiles.

Experimental studies on the life-cycle of Sebekia wedli (Pentastomida: Sebekidae).

Four young Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) were infected with infective pentastome larvae obtained from naturally infected Mozambique bream, Oreochromis mossambicus, and red-breasted bream, Tilapia rendalli swierstrai in the Kruger National Park. At day 95 post infection one of the crocodiles died and three female and four male S. wedli were recovered from its lungs. One pair was found in copula but the uteri of the females were not yet developed. Males and females were of about equal size. After 226 d post infection the three remaining crocodiles were sacrificed. Two of these harboured no pentastomes but eight were taken from the lungs of the third. The sex ratio had shifted in favour of the females, seven females and one male being present. One of the females recovered from the crocodiles was placed in saline and produced 3,400 eggs. These were used to infect eight guppies, Poecilia reticulata. Within 31 d two infective stages of S. wedli had developed in one of the guppies thus completing the life-cycle of the pentastome. S. wedli recovered from experimentally infected final hosts were slightly smaller than those recovered from a wild-caught final host.

Parasites of South African wildlife. XV. Helminths of scrub hares, Lepus saxatilis in the Kruger National Park.

A total of 145 scrub hares from three localities in the Kruger National Park were examined for helminths: 124 at Skukuza, 15 at Shingwedzi, and three each at Pretoriuskop and Pafuri. Trichostrongylus deflexus was the most prevalent and most abundant nematode, and was collected from hares from all four localities. Trichostrongylus falculatus was present in three localities. Trichostrongylus thomasi and Dermatoxys vlakhaasi occurred only at Skukuza in 50 and 23%, respectively, of the hares examined. The cestode Mosgovoyia pectinata and the nematode genus Impalaia were each recovered from three localities and Cooperia hungi from two. There was no apparent seasonal pattern of abundance of the worms, and the intensities of infection of male and female hares were similar. With the exception of D. vlakhaasi, all the helminths recovered in this study represent new records for scrub hares in South Africa.

Parasites of South African wildlife. XIV. Helminths of nyalas (Tragelaphus angasii) in the Mkuzi Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal.

The helminthis of 58 nyalas (Tragelaphus angasil) culled in the Mkuzi Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, during March 1991, and six culled during March 1994, were collected, identified and counted. Of these, an as yet undescribed Camelostrongylus sp., Cooperia hungl. an Onchocerca sp., Strongyloides papillosus and Moniezia benedeni are new parasite records. The individual nematode burdens of the antelope examined during March 1991 varied from one to 2327, and the total mean adult gastro-intestinal-nematode burden was 586. Those examined during March 1994 had burdens that varied from 322 to 1778, with a mean of 854. The two Camelostrongylus spp. were the most prevalent nematodes in the nyalas culled during 1991, while the trematode Cotylophoron jacksoni was most prevalent in those culled during 1994. The most numerous nematode in nyala calves during 1991 was a Cooperia rotundispiculum race, while the two Camelstrongylus 5pp. were most numerous in the adult and sub-adult nyalas from both surveys. No clear trends between rainfall and nematode burdens were evident, or was there any correlation between faecal nematode egg counts and nematode burdens. Contrary to what was observed in an earlier survey, female nyalas had larger nematode burdens than the males.

The wild dog (Lycaon pictus): a new host for Ancylostoma caninum.

Faecal nematode egg counts performed on one captive and 49 free-ranging wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) revealed the presence of eggs of Ancylostoma spp. in 12 (24%) of the animals. The captive wild dog pup showed anorexia, general malaise, pale mucous membranes and black stools. Adult male and female Ancylostoma caninum were recovered from an approximately 3-month-old pup which died of distemper-like disease and a 9-year-old severely debilitated captive wild dog. A single adult A. caninum was also recovered from the intestines of a free-ranging wild dog in the Kruger National Park. These findings confirm the wild dog to be a host for A. caninum.

Parasites of South African wildlife. VIII. Helminth and arthropod parasites of warthogs, Phacochoerus aethiopicus, in the eastern Transvaal.

Helminth and arthropod parasites were collected from 41 warthogs, Phacochoerus aethiopicus, in the Hoedspruit Nature Reserve, eastern Transvaal. This reserve consists of a military base, which is a restricted area and is surrounded by a reserve, which is open to the public. Eleven nematode species, 1 or 2 cestode species and the larvae of 2 cestode species were recovered from the animals in the reserve, and 8 nematode species and 1 or 2 cestode species were recovered from those in the military base. Oesophagostomum spp. were generally most abundant in warthogs in the reserve during the cooler months of the year, while Probstmayria vivipara also occurred in peak numbers during the cooler months, with an additional peak in October and November 1988 in warthogs in the reserve and the base, respectively. No pattern of seasonal abundance could be determined for the other helminth species. The warthogs also harboured 8 ixodid and 1 argasid tick species, 3 flea species and 1 louse species. Adult and immature Haematopinus phacochoeri were most numerous during August and September, and the largest numbers of adult Rhipicephalus simus were present from December to April.

Parasites of South African wildlife. VI. Helminths of blue duikers, Cephalophus monticola, in Natal.

The helminths of 3 blue duikers, Cephalophus monticola, from 3 nature reserves in Natal were collected, counted and identified. Taenia hydatigena larvae, a race of Cooperia rotundispiculum, gongylonema angistris, Trichostrongylus falculatus and Trichostrongylus rugatus appear to be new parasite records for blue duikers in South Africa.

Parasites of South African wildlife. VII. Helminths of suni, Neotragus moschatus, in Natal.

The helminths of 4 suni, Neotragus moschatus, from the Tembe National Elephant Park, KwaZulu, Natal, were collected, counted and identified. Cooperia hungi, a race of Cooperia rotundispiculum, Haemonchus vegliai, Setaria cornuta, a Skrjabinema sp., Strongyloides papillosus, Trichostrongylus anomalus and Trichostrongylus deflexus are new parasite records for suni in Africa. Megacooperia woodfordi was recovered for the first time from South African antelope.