Gastrointestinal Platyhelminths of Free-Living Cuniculus paca (Linnaeus, 1766) in the Western Amazon.

Abstract

Studies on Brazil's helminthological fauna began in the early 20th century, and since then several zoologists from different parts of the country have focused on parasitology. Recent studies have advanced our understanding of helminthological biodiversity in the Amazon region, especially in fish, which is essential for the Amazonian economy. This study aimed to inventory the platyhelminth fauna Cuniculus paca (paca). The viscera of 30 pacas were analyzed, and 60 specimens of platyhelminths were identified, including 52 cestodes and 8 trematodes. Cestodes belonging to the family Davaneidae, identified as Raillietina spp., with an occurrence of 26.67% (n = 8), mean abundance 1.83 and mean intensity of 6.5, were found in the small intestine. The trematodes found in the large intestine were identified as Stichorchis spp., with an occurrence of 6.6% (n = 2), mean abudance 0.32 and a mean intensity of four. To the genus Raillietina, we provide new insights into the helminth fauna of this game rodent in the Western Amazon. The discovery of a new site of occurrence for the genus Stichorchis highlights the gap in knowledge regarding the parasitic diversity of consumed animals in the extreme western Amazon region, emphasizing the need for more in-depth scientific investigations in this area.