Nematode parasites from Burchell's zebras in South Africa

Twenty-five Burchell's zebras (Equus burchelli antiquorum) which were culled at monthly intervals in the Kruger National Park were examined for helminths. Twenty-nine species of nematodes belonging to the families Atractidae, Habronematidae, Onchocercidae, Oxyuridae, Strongylidae, Strongyloididae and Trichostrongylidae were recovered. The cyathostomes (small strongyles) most abundant were Cyathostomum tetracanthum, Cylicostephanus calicatus, Cylindropharynx sp. (? C. intermedia Theiler, 1923) and Cylicocyclus auriculatus. Cyathostomum alveatum, Cyathostomum montgomeryi, Cylicostephanus calicatus and Cylindropharynx sp. (? C. intermedia Theiler, 1923) were the most prevalent cyathostomes (small strongyles) while Craterostomum acuticaudatum was the most prevalent of the large strongyles. Of all the species recovered those most abundant were Crossocephalus viviparus and Probstmayria vivipara with intensities of 100 to 3,857,772 and 18,400 to 104,120,467, respectively. Four new species, two Triodontophorus spp. (Strongylidae) and two Habronema spp. (Habronematidae) were identified. Furthermore, this study furnishes a first report of Triodontophorus minor in zebras. The fourth stage cyathostomes as well as the adults of 11 of the 14 species were present in significantly greater intensities in autumn and winter.