Parasitic helminths of Boa constrictor (Serpentes: Boidae) in southern Quintana Roo, Mexico

Abstract

We report the helminth fauna of Boa constrictor Linnaeus, 1758 in southern Quintana Roo, Mexico. A totalof 14 boas were collected in 5 localities from July 2009 to September 2010. The helminthological examination revealedthe presence of 133 individuals: 70 nematodes (Contracaecum sp. type 2 larvae of Moravec, Kohn et Fernandes, 1993,Cruzia sp., Kalicephalus subulatus Molin, 1861, Physocephalus sp.), 62 digeneans (Styphlodora horridum [Leidy,1850]) and 1 unidentified larval acanthocephalan. The nematodes K. subulatus, Physocephalus sp. and Cruzia sp.were the most prevalent; while the remaining helminths showed values lower than 10%. The digenean S. horridumwas the most abundant and intense parasite, although it was found in only 1 host. It is suggested that B. constrictorparticipates as a definitive host for those adult helminths (Cruzia sp., K. subulatus and S. horridum), as a paratenichost (Physocephalus sp.) and as an accidental one (Contracaecum sp. type 2, larval acanthocephalan) for some larvalstages. This work represents the first systematic survey on the parasitic helminth fauna of B. constrictor in QuintanaRoo; therefore, it includes 3 new (Contracaecum sp. type 2, Cruzia sp., Physocephalus sp.) and 2 geographical records(K. subulatus, S. horridum).