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Afr. J. Ecol., 1979, Volume 17, pages 177-180
Parasites of Zambian reptiles
Introduction Few studies have been made on the ectoparasites and endoparasites of African reptiles. Much of the present knowledge was reviewed by Bedford (1932), Mettrick (1950), Ortlepp (1961), Smyth (1962), Smit (1964) and Colbo (1973). Despite the great interest of herpetologists in reptile parasitology, there is a lack of detailed knowledge on the pathological and physiological effects of parasites on reptiles. This has mainly been a result of inadequate knowledge of the taxonomy and life histories of reptile parasites in general. Hence the object of this study is to document previously un- reported parasites of Zambian reptiles and to summarize briefly the life histories of some metazoan parasites.
Methods During monthly examinations of the reproductive tracts of reptiles for signs of
breeding, the opportunity was taken to collect any ectoparasites and endoparasites present. The host reptiles were collected from Dambwa Forest Reserve 3 km north of Livingstone, Zambia, 17"46'S, 25"51'E, 920-960 m above sea level and Songwe River Gorge in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, middle Zambezi, 16 km south-east of Livingstone, Zambia, 17"58'S, 25'58'E 883-914 m above sea level.
Results Parasites and parasite preparation. Ticks (Ixodidea) recovered from killed reptiles
were carefully detached with forceps and preserved in 70% alcohol : 3% glycerol. Nematodes (Oxyuroidea and Spiruroidea), as well as cestodes (Anoplocephalidea), were extracted from the digestive tract of host reptiles immediately after the death of the host. Samples were washed in 1% saline to remove mucus and other host debris. The nematodes were killed in hot (steaming) alcohol and transferred to storage bottles containing cool 70% methanol : 3% glycerol. Cestodes were placed on glass slides and spread out with a brush whilst an assistant poured a fixative along the worms until they were extended with all segments visible. Thereafter the worms were fixed in 5% formalin. This procedure resulted in the recovery of eight parasite types, seven of which were new records for Zambia (Table 1).
Life histories. The life histories of both spiruroid and oxyuroid nematodes of lizards and snakes are not well known. However it is common knowledge that oxy- uroid nematodes have a direct life cycle whereas spiruroid nematodes have eggs which pass out with the faeces of the primary host and hatch after they have been swallowed by a suitable insect host. The cycle is completed when the primary host ingests an infected insect. Among anoplocephalid cestodes, such as Oochoristica theileri
0141-6707/79/0900-0177302.00 0 1979 Blackwell Scientific Publications
177
Tab
le 1
. A
list
of
para
site
s an
d th
eir
host
rep
tiles
Hos
t Pa
rasi
te
Typ
e of
par
asite
L
ocat
ion
Loca
lity
Mab
uya
stri
atu
Mab
uya
stri
ata
Mab
uya
stri
ata
Mab
uya
quin
yuet
aeni
ata
Mab
uya
quin
quet
aeni
ata
Mab
uya
quin
yuet
aeni
ata
(Pet
ers)
(Pet
ers)
(Pet
ers)
(Lic
hten
stei
n)
(Lic
hten
stei
n)
(Lic
hten
stei
n)
Ichn
otro
pis s
quam
ulos
a Pe
ters
A
gani
a hi
spid
a (L
inna
eus)
A
gam
a hi
spid
a (L
inna
eus)
G
errh
osau
rus m
. maj
or
Dum
eril
Ger
rhos
auru
s m. m
ajor
- D
umer
il V
aran
us ex
antli
emat
icus
(B
osc)
Py
thon
saba
a (G
mel
in)
Phar
yngo
don
mor
gani
Fi
tzsi
mon
s, 1
961
Thel
andr
os sp
p.
Abb
revi
ata
spp.
Thel
andr
os sp
p.
Phar
yngo
don
mor
gani
Fi
tzsi
mon
s, 1
961
Abb
revi
ata
spp.
Pura
thel
andr
os s
pp.
Skrj
abin
opte
ra w
erze
li H
orch
ner &
Wei
ssen
burg
, 19
65
Ooc
hori
stic
a th
eile
ri
Fuhr
man
n, 1
924
Abb
revi
ata
spp.
Apo
nonr
a la
tum
Phys
alop
tera
spp
.
Uni
dent
ified
par
asite
s
(Koc
h)
Nem
atod
a
Nem
a tod
a
Nem
atod
a
Nem
atod
a
Ner
nato
da
Nem
atod
a
Stom
ach
and
smal
l int
estin
e
Stom
ach
and
smal
l in
test
ine
Stom
ach
Stom
ach
and
smal
l int
estin
e
Stom
ach
and
smal
l in
test
ine
Stom
ach
Nem
atod
a St
omac
h
Nem
atod
a Sm
all i
ntes
tine
Ces
toda
L
arge
inte
stin
e
Nem
atod
a Sm
all
inte
stin
e
Aca
rina
(la
rvae
, ny
mph
, adu
lt)
Nem
atod
a St
omac
h an
d sm
all i
ntes
tine
Asc
arid
ata
and
Ces
toda
Bod
y sc
ales
Stom
ach
and
hind
gut
Song
we
Riv
er G
orge
Dam
bwa
Fore
st R
eser
ve
Dam
bwa
Fore
st R
eser
ve
Song
we
Riv
er G
orge
Song
we
Riv
er G
orge
Song
we
Riv
er G
orge
Dam
bwa
Fore
st R
eser
ve
Dam
bwe
Fore
st R
eser
ve
Dam
bwa
Fore
st R
eser
ve
Song
we
Riv
er G
orge
Song
we
Riv
er G
orge
Dam
bwa
Fore
st R
eser
ve
Dam
bwa
Fore
st R
eser
ve
Notes and Records 179
Fuhrmann, 1924 from Agama hispida (Linneaus), an insect is essential as the inter- mediate host. Smyth (1962) reported beetles as the intermediate host of the congener Oochoristica ratti.
The results in Table 1, suggest that related species and genera of parasites are restricted to related species and genera of hosts. The recovery of the Oochoristica from skinks is interesting as this tape worm is a member of a family of cestodes which may be of medical importance, for example, Znermicapsifer has occasionally been found to infect children in Africa (Ortlepp, 1961).
Acknowledgments 1 am greatly indebted to Dr L. F. Khalil of the Commonwealth lnstitute of Helminthology, who identified the parasites and offered useful information on parasite fixation and preservation. I. A. Bhutta, National Council for Scientific Research Pest Control Unit Chilanga, Zambia, identified the ticks. My thanks to Dr D. Morgan, University of Zambia for useful suggestions. Miss M. M. Lombe, Livingstone Museum, typed the final draft and Mr A. S. Muyundu provided excellent field and laboratory assistance.
The parasites listed in Table 1 are deposited at the Livingstone Museum and at the Commonwealth lnstitute of Helminthology. This work was made possible by the Museums Board grant to the Division of Herpetology, Department of Natural History.
References BEDFORD, G.A.H. (1932) A synoptic checklist and host-list of the ectoparasites on South African
COLBO, M.H. (1973) Ticks of Zambian wild animals. A preliminary checklist. Puku, 7, 97-105. METTRICK, D.F. (1950) A new cestode of reptiles and amphibians from theRhodesias. Proc. zoo/. soc.
ORTLEPP, R.J. (1961) A record of three cases of human infection in South Africa with a common tape
SMIT, B. (1964) Insects ofSouthern Africa: How to control them. Oxford University Press, London. SMYTH, J.D. (1962) introduction to animalparasitology. English University Press, London.
Mammals, Aves and Reptiles. Rep. Vet. Res. South Africa, 18, 223-523.
London, 141, 239-250.
worm of rats. S. A. med. J . 35, 837-838.
M . P. Simbotwe, The Livingstone Museum, P.O. Box 498, Livingstone, Zambia.
(Manuscript received 24 February 1979)