Gastrointestinal nematodes of European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Russia

Abstract

The species composition of gastrointestinal nematodes parasitizing European roe deer Capreolus capreolus in Russia was studied. Fourteen individuals of C. capreolus from three regions of European Russia (Ryazan', Tver' and Voronezh) were examined at necropsy in the period of 2013-2019 for the nematode infections. Beside this, the species identification of nematodes collected from four individuals of C. capreolus in Voronezh State Nature Reserve in 1980s was performed. Fifteen species of nematodes were detected: Ashworthius sidemi, Bunostomum trigonocephalum, Chabertia ovina, Mazamastrongylus dagestanica, Nematodirus filicollis, Ostertagia antipini (including minor morph "Ostertagia lyrataeformis"), Ostertagia leptospicularis, Ostertagia ostertagi, Spiculopteragia asymmetrica (including minor morph "Spiculopteragia quadrispiculata"), Spiculopteragia spiculoptera, Teladorsagia circumcincta, Trichostrongylus axei, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Trichostrongylus vitrinus and Trichuris globulosa. The biggest variety of nematodes (12 species) has been noted in abomasa. Four species (N. filicollis, T. axei, T. colubriformis and T. vitrinus) were detected both in abomasa and small intestines, but the first one prevailed in small intestines whereas Trichostrongylus spp.-in abomasa. This is the first detection of S. asymmetrica (as well as its minor morph "S. quadrispiculata") in European roe deer in Russia. Asian nematode A. sidemi was found in two regions (Tver' and Voronezh) in majority of roe deer individuals studied in 2013-2019, but was not found in the samples collected in 1980s, that confirms the trend for spreading of this parasite, noted in Europe last years.