Helminth parasites of wild Mustelids (family: Mustelidae) in Lithuania

Abstract

The present study analyses the helminth fauna found in members of family Mustelidae. A total of 132 mustelids: 26 stone martens (Martes foina), 20 pine martens (Martes martes), 53 American minks (Neovison vison), 26 European polecat (Mustela putorius), 5 European otters (Lutra lutra) and 2 Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) were examined using a total helmintological examination of individual organs. Morhological and molecular analysis have been used for identification of helminth species. More than 12 taxa of parasitic worms belonging to phyla Nematoda and Platyhelmithes (classes Trematoda and Cestoda) were found. A checklist of helminth species detected in mustelids worlwide, routes of infection, pathogenicity, geographic distribution, and distribution in host species of helminths is discused.