<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> The qualitative and quantitative analyses of the digenean fauna of bats were conducted for the first time in Serbia. The sample comprised of 118 individuals of 12 bat species (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Myotis mystacinus, M. alcathoe, M. brandtii, M. oxygnathus, M. myotis, Hypsugo savii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P. nathusii, Plecotus auritus, P. austriacus and Nyctalus noctula) collected from 15 sites throughout Serbia. Six digenean species were identified: Lecithodendrium linstowi, Plagiorchis sp., Prosthodendrium longiforme, P. chilostomum, P. parvouterus and Mesotretes peregrinus. The helminths were recorded from 35 individual hosts (29.7 %). The species Lecithodendrium linstowi infected the highest percentage of hosts (19.5 %), with a mean abundance of 4.6. GLM analysis of exploratory factors showed that host species and host sex had a significant influence on parasite load, while locality and host age did not influence parasite abundance. No evidence of zoonotic species was found.</p></abstract>

The qualitative and quantitative analyses of the digenean fauna of bats were conducted for the first time in Serbia. The sample comprised of 118 individuals of 12 bat species (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Myotis mystacinus, M. alcathoe, M. brandtii, M. oxygnathus, M. myotis, Hypsugo savii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P. nathusii, Plecotus auritus, P. austriacus and Nyctalus noctula) collected from 15 sites throughout Serbia. Six digenean species were identified: Lecithodendrium linstowi, Plagiorchis sp., Prosthodendrium longiforme, P. chilostomum, P. parvouterus and Mesotretes peregrinus. The helminths were recorded from 35 individual hosts (29.7 %). The species Lecithodendrium linstowi infected the highest percentage of hosts (19.5 %), with a mean abundance of 4.6. GLM analysis of exploratory factors showed that host species and host sex had a significant influence on parasite load, while locality and host age did not influence parasite abundance. No evidence of zoonotic species was found.

Gastrointestinal digeneans (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) of horseshoe and vesper bats (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae) in Serbia

Agricultural school, Subotički put bb, Bačka Topola,

University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, Novi Sad,

Natural History Museum, Njegoševa 51, Belgrade,

Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade,

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

The qualitative and quantitative analyses of the digenean fauna of bats were conducted for the first time in Serbia. The sample comprised of 118 individuals of...

Gastrointestinal digeneans (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) of horseshoe and vesper bats (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae) in Serbia

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Feb 09, 2017

Page range: 17 - 25

Received: May 25, 2016

Accepted: Nov 07, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helm-2017-0009

Keywords
digeneans, bats, Serbia, prevalence, abundance

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Gastrointestinal digeneans (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) of horseshoe and vesper bats (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae) in Serbia

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Feb 09, 2017

Page range: 17 - 25

Received: May 25, 2016

Accepted: Nov 07, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helm-2017-0009

Keywordsdigeneans, bats, Serbia, prevalence, abundance

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
digeneans, bats, Serbia, prevalence, abundance