Identification of <i>Hydatigera</i> Species in Wildcats (<i>Felis silvestris</i>) from Central Spain.

ABSTRACT: The European wildcat (Felis silvestris) is a mesocarnivore widely distributed across Europe, with populations in the Iberian Peninsula experiencing decline due to habitat fragmentation, hybridization with domestic cats, and anthropogenic factors. Among the parasites commonly found in wildcats are cestodes of the genus Hydatigera, which includes cryptic species within the Hydatigera taeniaeformis complex. This study aimed to identify Hydatigera species within this complex infecting wildcats in central Spain using both morphological and molecular methods. A total of 26 road-killed wildcats were collected between 2021 and 2023 from Castilla and León and Castilla-La Mancha. Cestodes were recovered from 73% of individuals, yielding a total of 240 Hydatigera sp

SUBMITTER: Matas-Mendez P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12649228 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature