Contribución al conocimiento del pichiciego Chlamyphorus truncatus (Xenarthra, Chlamyphoridae): descripción de la fauna de endoparásitos como aporte a su estado de conservación

EZQUIAGA, M. C.; SOIBELZON, ESTEBAN; HABIB, DELFINO AHUMADA

Revista Argentina Parasitologia

Asociación Parasitológica Argentina

Año: 2023

The pichiciego is a small armadillo that inhabits the northern center of Argentina. Due to itsfossorial habits, it is a very poorly known species. Regarding its endoparasite fauna, two species of nematodesand an acanthocephalan have been recorded so far. Three feces samples and a pichiciego digestive tractfrom collection specimens from the province of La Pampa were analyzed. Oocysts of Coccidia protozoa andeggs of nematodes of the suborder Trichostrongylina were found in the feces. Two species of Trichostrongylina,Moennigia sp. and Delicata sp., which could not be specifically identified due to their morphometric differenceswith the known species, and Aspidodera fasciata, were found. On the other hand, the eggs found in the uterusof the Moennigia sp. females coincided in shape and size with those found in the coproparasitological analyses.Both the presence of coccidia and both species of Trichostrongylina constitute new records for the pichiciego.Future studies of endo and ectoparasites in armadillos will be necessary to deepen the knowledge of this faunaand its hosts