04 Haz 2025 Çarşamba
Species diversity of helminths of wild canids (Canidae) in the physical-geographical region of the Lesser Caucasus of Azerbaijan
Abstract : The helminth fauna of wild canids and their distribution characteristics were studied in the Lesser Caucasus physiographic region of Azerbaijan. In Azerbaijan, the order of the predators Carnivore Bowdich, 1821, the family of the wolves of Canidae Gray, 1821 are represented by two species of the genus Canis L., 1758 - the gray wolf (Canis lupus L., 1758) and the common jackal Canis aureus L., 1758, and the fox genus Vulpes Oken, 1816 is represented by one species - the common fox Vulpes vulpes L., 1758. We analyzed 6 wolves, 11 jackals and 15 foxes in the plain, lowland and mountainous zones of the Lesser Caucasus. The overall infection rate of the studied animals was 90.63% (32/29). It was determined the extent of infection 81.82% (11/9) in jackals, 100% (6/0) in wolves, and 93.33% (15/14) in foxes. In total, in 3 species of wild predatory mammals were identified 38 species of helminths belonging to 3 taxa, of which 13 species - Cestodes, 3 species - Trematodes and 22 species were Nematodes. The qualitative and quantitative indicators of the helminth fauna of individual species of predatory carnivores differed significantly. The species diversity of helminths in individual species of the studied animals was different. The largest number of helminth species was recorded in foxes (32 species), then in jackals (21 species) and wolves (15 species). In jackals were identified 8 species cestodes, 1 species trematodes and 12 species were nematodes, in wolves and foxes 7 and 10 species of cestodes, 1 and 3 species of trematodes, and 7 and 19 nematodes respectively. The study of the helminth fauna of the explored predators has scientific and practical significance.