Digenea parasitizing snakes in Pampa Biome, southern Brazil

Abstract

The diversity of digenetic helminths of snakes from the Pampa Biome is poorly known, with few records in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. The present study documents species of Digenea parasitizing snakes in the Pampa Biome, southern Brazil. Forty-two individuals belonging to 11 species of Dipsadidae and Viperidae were examined. A total of 178 specimens belonging to 9 taxa of digenetic trematodes were found in 50% of the snakes analyzed. Habitats and host behavior may influence the parasite fauna of snakes, since helminth diversity and abundance were greater in hosts present in semi-aquatic and grassland  environments. Further, 89% of digenetic trematodes use anurans as second intermediate hosts; according to the literature, anurans are the most common food resource for these snakes. In this context, studies of diet and helminth fauna of snakes are complementary and contribute to the understanding of the biology of species and their role in ecosystems.