Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XXlll. Helminth and arthropod parasites of warthogs, Phacochoerus aethiopicus, in the eastern Transvaal Lowveld

Abstract

A total of 69 warthogs, Phacochoerus aethiopicus, were collected from 4 localities within the Kruger National Park, eastern Transvaal Lowveld. These animals harboured 16 nematode species, 2 trematodes, 1 or 2 species of adult cestodes and the larval stages of 4 cestodes. No pattern of seasonal abundance could be determined for any of the helminths. The warthogs were also infested with 3 flea species, 1 louse species, 8 ixodid tick species, 1 argasid tick and the nymphae of a pentastomid. The seasonal abundance of fleas of the genus Echidnophaga, of the sucking louse Haematopinus phacochoeri and the ixodid ticks Amblyomma hebraeum, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus simus and Rhipicephalus zambeziensis was determined.