L. Forró szerk.: Miscellanea Zoologica Hungarica 13. 2000 (Budapest, 2000)

Sey, O.; Al-Ghaith, L.: Helminths of green toads Bufo viridis Laurenti, 1789 and spiny tailed lizards, Uromastyx microlepis Blanford, 1874 of Kuwait

MISCELLANEA ZOOLOGICA HUNGARICA Tomus 13. 2000 p. 21-27 Helminths of green toads Bufo viridis Laurenti, 1789 and spiny tailed lizards, Uromastyx microlepis Blanford, 1874 of Kuwait by O. Sey and L. Al-Ghaith (Received November 18,1999) Abstract: Specimens of Bufo viridis and Uromastyx microlepis collected in Kuwait were examined for helminths. A total of 9 species of helminths were revealed: Polystoma integerrimum, Sonsinotrema tacapense, Nematotaenia dispar, Aplectana macinthosii, Cosmocerca ornata, Rhabdias bufonis from Bufo viridis and Oochoristica truncata, Thelandros kanistica, Tachygonetria vivipara from Uromastyx microlepis. All the species except Nematotaenia dispar were recorded for the first time from Kuwait and Oochoristica truncata, Thelandros kanistica and Tachygonetria vivipara are new host records. Keywords: helminth parasites, amphibians, reptiles, Kuwait Introduction A survey of the available literature indicates the paucity of information on the helminth parasites of amphibians and reptiles of Kuwait, although Kuwait has an interesting herpetofauna and their parasites might have a special interest both from taxonomical and zoogeographical points of view. Until now there are no detailed and systematic investigations from Kuwait in this respect and so far as we are aware only fragments of the cestode, Nematotaenia dispar have been reported by Jones (1987) from Bufo sp. Although none of the helminth parasites treated in this paper is new to science, they are nevertheless new to Kuwait or in some of the adjacent countries. The authors' intention was to give a preliminary report on the helminth parasites of the hosts in question assuming that it will inspire further such investigations especially in Kuwait. Materials and methods Twenty five specimens of green toads, obtained from the southern district of Kuwait (Wafra) between October-November 1996 and 18 specimens of spiny tailed lizards, collected in the suburban desert of Kuwait City, between October 1996 and December 1997, were examined for helminths. The worms were washed in saline, fixed in AFA (Aceticacid : Formaldehyde : Alcohol) and stored in 70% ethanol. Monogeneans, Trematodes and Cestodes were stained in alum carmine, destained in diluted HCL, dehydrated in ascending concentration of ethanol, cleared in clove oil and mounted in Canada balsam. Nematodes were stored in glycerin-alcohol and cleared in lactophenol for examination. All measurements are expressed in micrometers, drawings of the worms were prepared by microprojector and details filled in through microscopic observation.