Some helminth and arthropod parasites of the grey duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia

Abstract

Sixteen grey duikers were culled on the farm Riekert's Laager in the central Transvaal at irregular intervals from May 1979 - March 1981. One trematode species, 3 cestode species and 16 nematode species were recovered from these animals. Of these the following are new helminth records for this antelope: Cooperia hungi, Cooperia neitzi, Cooperia pectinata, Trichostrongylus axei, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Trichostrongylus falculatus, Trichostrongylus instabilis, Impalaia tuberculata, Nematodirus sp. and Paramphistomum sp. In addition, 6 species of ixodid ticks were collected. These, in order of abundance, were Amblyomma hebraeum (55,9%), Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (36,6%), Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (5,1%), Boophilus decoloratus (2,3% ), Boophilus microplus (0,05%) and Haemaphysalis sp. (0,05%). Only 60 (2,8%) of the 2 118 ticks that were collected were adults. Of the 3 species of lice that were recovered, Linognathus zumpti zumpti was most abundant (58,9%), but, out of a total of 1 498 collected, 1 496 occurred on 1 animal only. Linognathus breviceps constituted 29,5% and Damalinia lerouxi 11,6% of the total. A total of 277 specimens of the hippoboscid fly Lipoptena paradoxa were collected from 12 of the 16 animals examined. Trends in the seasonal fluctuation of Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus, Impalaia, Lipoptena and the immature stages of Amblyomma and R. appendiculatus are graphically illustrated.