Helminth parasite communities of kangaroos and wallabies (Macropus spp. and Wallabia bicolor) from north and central Queensland

Abstract

The occurrence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites in 40 Macropus agilis, 12 M. antilopinus, 39 M. dorsalis, 28 M. giganteus, 29 M. parryi, 30 M. robustus and 26 Wallabia bicolor from north and central Queensland was examined. A total of 124 morphologically defined species of helminth was encountered, comprising 103 species of strongyloid nematodes, 6 species of trichostrongyloid nematodes, 2 species of spiruroid nematodes, 4 species of oxyuroid nematodes, 7 species of anoplocephalid testodes and 2 species of digenetic trematodes. Helminth communities in each macropodid host species exhibited a high level of diversity, and were dominated numerically bY strongyloid nematodes. A high propor..