Diversity of parasitic helminths associated with wild-caught Asian Water Monitor Lizards, Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768) from Banyuwangi, East Java Province, Indonesia

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Abstract

We investigated the diversity of parasitic helminths and their prevalence in Asian Water Monitor Lizards (Varanus salvator) in Banyuwangi City, Indonesia. A total of 105 wild-caught V. salvator were obtained at reptile wholesale markets. All lizards were euthanized and examined for the presence of parasites. Morphological identification of the various parasitic stages was made using carmine staining and microscopic examination. We found that 95.2%. of the examined lizards were infected with five species of helminths, including two cestodes (Duthiersia expansa, Spirometra spp.), two nematodes (Tanqua tiara, Physaloptera spp.), and an acanthocephalan (Sphaerechinorhynchus serpenticola). We conclude that Asian water monitors may be a source for parasitic disease transmission among wild reptiles in Indonesia, and some of the parasite groups we found may also pose a threat to human health. Therefore, continuous surveillance should be conducted in order to assess and reveal the biodiversity of helminth parasites in wild-caught reptiles and their potential medical relevance.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)277-284
Number of pages8
JournalHerpetology Notes
Volume17
Publication statusPublished - 8 Jan 2024

Keywords

  • Acanthocephala
  • Cestoda
  • infectious disease
  • Nematoda
  • Varanus

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