Intestinal parasites in a population of stone marten (Martes foina) in central Spain

Abstract

Intestinal parasites in a population of stone marten (Martes foina) in central Spain. Twenty– one fresh fecal samples from stone marten (Martes foina) (Erxleben, 1777) collected in the Natural Park of Hoces del Río Riaza (Segovia) were processed using a modified version of Ritchie’s concentration method. We identified 18 genera: four coccidian; two trematodes; three cestodes; eight nematodes; and one acanthocephalan. The prevalence was low for all genera except Isospora sp. (Schneider, 1875), Eimeria sp. (Schneider, 1875) and Toxocara sp. (Stiles, 1905) that showed values above 20 %. The richness of parasites was lower than that detected in other populations, and it is likely that the stone martens help disseminate these parasites as their external appearance was good.