Cardiovascular flukes (Trematoda: Spirorchiidae) in Caretta caretta Linnaeus, 1758 from the Mediterranean Sea.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The northern Adriatic Sea represents one of the most important neritic foraging grounds for the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta L. in the Mediterranean Sea. Four genera of blood flukes with variable prevalence and pathogenic impact have been reported worldwide in this species. Hapalotrema Looss, 1899 and Amphiorchis Price, 1934 are the only two genera reported in Mediterranean waters; however, updated data describing spirorchiidiasis in the central and eastern Mediterranean and infection prevalence are still lacking. This work aimed to investigate the presence and pathology of spirorchiidiasis in C. caretta in the Mediterranean Sea.

Methods

One hundred sixty-eight animals stranded along the northwestern Adriatic coast between 2009 and 2015 were submitted to

SUBMITTER: Marchiori E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5633879 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature