PREVALENCE AND INTENSITY OF ABBREVIATA TRAVASSOS (NEMATODA PHYSALOPTERIDAE) IN THE RIDGE-TAILED MONITOR VARANUS ACANTHURUS BOULENGER IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 1 decade ago

Abstract
Four species of Abbreviata were recovered from the stomachs of 212 Varanus acanthurus: Abbreviata hastaspicula (65% infection), Abbreviata antarctica (8% infection), Abbreviata confusa (5% infection), and Abbreviata sp. (1% infection). A. hastaspicula was more prevalent in Western Australia than in the Northern Territory, and occurred at all seasons of the year, with lowest prevalence and intensity of infection from March to May.

A. antarctica was more prevalent in the central parts of the host's range and during the drier season of the year. Abbreviata confusa was confined to the more northerly areas, north of 18°S, and was recovered throughout the year. Worm numbers appeared to be unaffected by concurrent congeneric infection. A fourth unidentified species, similar in morphology to A. tumidocapitis, was recovered from two host specimens from the Kimberley. Prevalence of infection and worm intensity of A. hastaspicula increased with increase in host size; there was a positive correlation between adult and larval numbers in both A. hastaspicula (r:0.576, P<0.001) and A. antarctica (r:0.680, P<0.05), and there was a seasonal correlation between adult and larval numbers in A. hastaspicula.