Hostname: page-component-599cfd5f84-v8j7l Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-07T06:08:04.724Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The helminth parasites of the wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus and their effect on host condition in Dunas de Mira, Portugal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2007

C. Eira ,
J. Torres ,
J. Miquel  and
J. Vingada
C. Eira*
Affiliation:
Laboratori de Parasitologia, Departament de Microbiologia i Parasitologia Sanitàries, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, sn, 08028 Barcelona, Spain Departamento de Biologia, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
J. Torres
Affiliation:
Laboratori de Parasitologia, Departament de Microbiologia i Parasitologia Sanitàries, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, sn, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
J. Miquel
Affiliation:
Laboratori de Parasitologia, Departament de Microbiologia i Parasitologia Sanitàries, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, sn, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
J. Vingada
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biologia, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
*
*Fax:+34 934 024 504 E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The present study focuses on the helminth parasite community of the wild rabbit in a sand dune area in Portugal over a 5-year period. The influence of host sex and year on the composition of the helminth community is assessed, along with the potential effect of the detected helminths on host body condition. The basic structure of the helminth community comprises Mosgovoyia ctenoides, Graphidium strigosum, Trichostrongylus retortaeformis, Nematodiroides zembrae and Passalurus ambiguus. Mean intensities of G. strigosum varied between years. General G. strigosum intensities were also found to vary according to both year and host sex, but not according to the interaction of both factors. When assessing the effect of helminths on rabbit body condition (expressed by the kidney fat index), higher burdens of M. ctenoides, a cestode that presents a relatively large body mass, were found to induce a reduction in rabbit condition.

Type
Research Papers
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 81 , Issue 3 , September 2007 , pp. 239 - 246
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Afonso-Roque, M.M. & Barata, M.C. (1984) Observations on the species of the genus Dermatoxys Schneider, 1866 (Nematoda: Oxyuridea) from wild rabbit occurring in Iberian Peninsula. Revista Ibérica de Parasitología 44, 139–145.Google Scholar
Allan, J.C., Craig, P.S., Sherington, J., Rogan, M.T., Storey, D.M., Heath, S. & Iball, K. (1999) Helminth parasites of the wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus near Malham Tarn, Yorkshire, UK. Journal of Helminthology 73, 289–294.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Alves, J. (2005) The effects of invasive Acacia longifolia on density and diet of the wild rabbit, in a coastal sand-dune area of the center of Portugal. Thesis, University of Minho, Braga.Google Scholar
Alves, J., Vingada, J. & Rodrigues, P. (2007) Wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L) diet on a sand dune area in central Portugal: a contribution towards management. Wildlife Biology in Practice 2, 62–70.Google Scholar
Anderson, R.C. (2000) Nematode parasites of vertebrates: their development and transmission. 650 pp. Wallingford, Oxon, CAB International.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baylis, H.A. (1925) On Gongylonema collected in Italy during October, 1924, with some observations on the genus. Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 28, 71–76.Google Scholar
Beveridge, I. (1978) A taxonomic review of the genera Cittotaenia Riehm, 1881, Ctenotaenia Railliet, 1893, Mosgovoyia Spassky, 1951 and Pseudocittotaenia Tenora 1976 (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae). Mémoires du Museum National d' Histoire Naturelle, Zoologie 107, 64 pp.Google Scholar
Blasco, S., Torres, J., Feliu, C., Casanova, J.C., Miquel, J. & Moreno, S. (1996) The Helminthfauna of Oryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Iberian Peninsula. Faunistical and ecological considerations. Parasite 4, 327–333.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boag, B. (1985) The incidence of helminth parasites from the wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus (L) in eastern Scotland. Journal of Helminthology 59, 61–69.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boag, B. & Kolb, H.H. (1989) Influence of host age and sex on nematode populations in the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L). Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington 56, 116–119.Google Scholar
Boos, M., Thouzeau, C., Delacour, G., Artois, M., Marchandeau, S., Jean-Claude, P. & Tobin, J.-P. (2005) Body condition assessment and prediction of fasting endurance in wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Wildlife Research 32, 75–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bush, A.O., Lafferty, K.D., Lotz, J.M. & Shostak, H.W. (1997) Parasitology meets ecology on its own terms: Margolis et al. revisited. Journal of Parasitology 48, 715–718.Google Scholar
Butler, F.T. (1994) Arthropod and helminth parasites from rabbits of the wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus in South-West Ireland. Irish Naturalists' Journal 24, 392–395.Google Scholar
Carvalho, J.C. & Gomes, P. (2004) Influence of herbaceous cover, shelter and land cover structure on wild rabbit abundance in NW Portugal. Acta Theriologica 49, 63–74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carvalho Varela, M. (1967) L'helminthofaune du lapin de Garenne, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L) au Portugal. Finnish Game Research 30, 271.Google Scholar
Cordero del Campillo, M., Castañón-Ordoñez, L. & Reguera-Feo, A. (1994) Indice-catálogo de zooparasitos ibéricos. 650 pp. León, Universidad de León, Secretariado de Publicaciones.Google Scholar
Cowan, D.P. (1983) Aspects of the behaviour of a free-living population of the European wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus L in Southern England. PhD Thesis, Royal Holloway College, University of London, UK.Google Scholar
Dunsmore, J.D. (1966) Nematode parasites of free living rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus (L), in Eastern Australia. II Variations in the numbers of Graphidium strigosum (Dujardin) Railliet & Henry. Australian Journal of Zoology 14, 625–634.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dunsmore, J.D. (1972) Graphidium strigosum and Trichostrongylus retortaeformis in a confined population of wild rabbits. Australian Journal of Zoology 20, 27–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dunsmore, J.D. & Dudzinski, M.L. (1968) Relationship of numbers of nematode parasites in wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L) to host, sex and season. Journal of Parasitology 54, 462–474.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Durette-Desset, M.C. (1979) Les Nematodirinae (Nematoda) chez les ruminants et chez les lagomorphs. Annales de Parasitologie Humaine Comparée 54, 313–329.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Durette-Desset, M.C. & Denke, M. (1978) Description des nouveaux nematodes parasites d'un lièvre africain et complements a l'étude morphologique de quelques Trichostrongylidae. Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Zoologie 515(354), 331–347.Google Scholar
Eira, C., Miquel, J., Vingada, J. & Torres, J. (2006) Natural infection of Oryctolagus cuniculus (Lagomorpha: Leporidae) by Gongylonema neoplasticum (Nematoda: Gongylonematidae) in Portugal. Acta Parasitologica 51, 119–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flux, J.E.C. (1971) Validity of the kidney fat index for estimating the condition of hares: a discussion. New Zealand Journal of Science 14, 238–244.Google Scholar
Foronda, P., Valladares, B., Lorenzo-Morales, J., Ribas, A., Feliu, C. & Casanova, J.C. (2003) Helminths of the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Macaronesia. Journal of Parasitology 89, 952–957.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Genov, T., Murai, E., Georgiev, B. & Harris, E. (1990) The erection of Leporidotaenia ng (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) for Anoplocephaloides spp. parasiting Leporidae (Lagomorpha). Systematic Parasitology 16, 107–126.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harder, J.D. & Kirkpatrick, R.L. (1996) Physiological methods in wildlife research. pp. 275–306in Bookout, T.A. (Ed.) Research and management techniques for wildlife and habitats. Bethesda, Maryland, The Wildlife Society.Google Scholar
Hobbs, R.P., Twigg, L.E., Elliot, A.D. & Wheeler, A.G. (1999) Evaluation of the association of parasitism with mortality of wild European rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus (L) in south Western Australia. Journal of Parasitology 85, 803–808.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Iborra, O., Arthur, C.P. & Bayle, P. (1990) Importance trophique du lapin de garenne pour les grands rapaces provençaux. Vie et Milieu 40, 177–188.Google Scholar
Jaksic, F. & Soriguer, R.C. (1981) Predation upon the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Mediterranean habitats of Chile and Spain: a comparative analysis. Journal of Animal Ecology 50, 269–285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lello, J., Boag, B., Fento, A., Stevenson, I.R. & Hudson, P.J. (2004) Competition and mutualism among the gut helminths of a mammalian host. Nature 428, 840–844.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lello, J., Boag, B. & Hudson, P.J. (2005) The effect of single and concomitant pathogen infections on condition and fecundity of the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). International Journal of Parasitology 32, 1509–1515.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lombardi, L., Fernandez, N., Moreno, S. & Villafuerte, R. (2003) Habitat-related differences in rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) abundance, distribution and activity. Journal of Mammalogy 84, 26–36.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lotz, J.M. & Font, W.F. (1994) Excess positive associations in communities of intestinal helminths of bats: a refined null hypothesis and a test of the facilitation hypothesis. Journal of Parasitology 80, 398–413.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maia, M.J., Viçosa, M.J.V., Simões, A.J.L. & Caeiro, V. (1994) Endoparasites of wild animals rarely or not previously described from Portugal. Acta Parasitológica Portuguesa 2, 23–25.Google Scholar
Martins, H., Milne, J.A. & Rego, F. (2002) Seasonal and spatial variation in the diet of the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L) in Portugal. Journal of Zoology 258, 395–404.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mendonça, M.M. & Varela, M.C. (1971) Occurrence of the Cestode Andrya cuniculi (Blanchard, 1891) Railliet, 1893 (Cestoda, Anoplocephalidae) in the Iberian Peninsula in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus Linnaeus, 1758). Anais da Escola Superior de Medicina Veterinária 13, 173–185.Google Scholar
Molina, X., Casanova, J.C., Feliu, C. & Castién, E. (1998) Studies of wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) populations in Navarra (Spain). III Qualitative and quantitative composition of the rabbit parasitic helminthfauna. Gibier et Faune Sauvage 15, 123–133.Google Scholar
Molina, X., Casanova, J.C. & Feliu, C. (1999) Influence of host weight, sex and reproductive status on helminth parasites of the wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, Spain. Journal of Helminthology 73, 221–225.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neilson, R., Boag, B. & Hartley, G. (2005) Temporal host–parasite relationships of the wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.) as revealed by stable isotope analysis. Parasitology 131, 279–285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Palomares, F. (2001) Vegetation structure and prey abundance requirements of the Iberian lynx: implications for the design of reserves and corridors. Journal of Applied Ecology 38, 9–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Palomares, F. & Delibes, M. (1997) Predation upon European rabbits and their use of open and closed patches in Mediterranean ecosystems. Oikos 80, 407–410.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rogers, P.M., Arthur, C.P. & Soriguer, R.C. (1994) The rabbit in continental Europe. pp. 22–63 in Thompson, H.V. & King, C.M. (Eds) The European rabbit: the history and biology of a successful colonizer. Oxford, Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rózsa, L., Reiczigel, J. & Majoros, G. (2000) Quantifying parasites in samples of hosts. Journal of Parasitology 86, 228–232.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Simón Vicente, F. (1969) On Dermatoxys hispaniensis nsp (Nematoda: Oxyuridea) from Oryctolagus cuniculus and Lepus timidus of Spain. Journal of Helminthology 43, 417–426.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tenora, F. & Murai, E. (1978) Anoplocephalidae (Cestoda) parasites of Leporidae and Sciuridae in Europe. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 24, 415–429.Google Scholar
Tenora, F., Murai, E., Valero, A. & Cutillas, C. (1981–82) Anoplocephaloides pseudowimerosa sp.n. and other Anoplocephalidae (Cestoda) parasites of Oryctolagus cuniculus (Leporidae) in Spain. Parasitologia Hungarica 14, 73–77.Google Scholar
Villafuerte, R., Calvete, C., Gortázar, C. & Moreno, S. (1994) First episode of Rabbit Hemorragic Disease in free living populations of Oryctolagus cuniculus at Doñana National Park, Spain. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 30, 176–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Villafuerte, R., Calvete, C., Blanco, J.C. & Lucientes, J. (1995) Incidence of viral hemorrhagic disease in wild rabbit populations in Spain. Mammalia 59, 651–659.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, K., Bjørnstad, O.N., Dobson, A.P., Merler, S., Poglayen, G., Randolph, S.E., Read, A.F. & Skorping, A. (2001) Heterogeneities in macroparasite infections: patterns and processes. pp. 6–44 in Hudson, P.J., Rizzoli, A., Grenfell, B.T., Heesterbeek, H. & Dobson, A.P. (Eds) The ecology of wildlife diseases. Oxford, Oxford University Press.Google Scholar