Intestinal digeneans of freshwater turtles Phrynops hilarii and Acanthochelys spixii (Testudines: Chelidae) from southern Brazil

Abstract

The work was aimed to increase knowledge on the diversity of parasitic digeneans in freshwater turtles from southern Brazil. Phrynops hilarii and Acanthochelys spixii are common turtle species of the Rio Grande do Sul fauna; however, little is known about the helminths parasitizing these hosts. In this context, 14 A. spixii and 5 P. hilarii were necropsied and helminthologically examined. The digenean species Cheloniodiplostomum sp. (Proterodiplostomidae), and Telorchis platensis (Telorchiidae) were reported for the first time in A. spixii. This is the first report of Cheloniodiplostomum testudinis, and Telorchis birabeni in P. hilarii from Brazil.