L. Forró szerk.: Miscellanea Zoologica Hungarica 7. 1992 (Budapest, 1992)

Matskási, I., Mészáros, F. , Murai, É.; Dudich, A.: On the parasite fauna of Microtus oeconomus Pallas, 1776 ssp. mehelyi Éhik, 1928 in Hungary (Trematoda, Cestoda, Nematoda, Siphonaptera)

MISCELLANEA ZOOLOGICA HUNGARICA Tomus 7. 1991 p. 9-14 On the parasite fauna of Microtus oeconomus Pallas, 1776 ssp. mehelyi Éhik, 1928 in Hungary (Trematoda, Cestoda, Nematoda, Siphonaptera) by, I. Matskási, F. Mészáros, E. Murai and A. Dudich (Received May 5,1992) Abstract: Parasitological investigations of eighty-four Microtus oeconomus ssp. mehefyi in Hungary revealed the occurrence of twelve helminths (two Trematoda, five Cestoda, five Nematoda) and of six Siphonaptera species. M. oeconomus mehelyi is a new host for the following five parasite species: Psilotrema simillimum (Mühling, 1898) - Trematoda - Vampirolepis asymmetrica (Janicki, 1904), Anoplocephaloides dentata (Galli-Valerio, 1905) - Cestoda -Ctenophthalmus agyrtes agyrtes (Heller, 18%) and Peromyscopsylla bidentata (Kolenati, 1860) - Siphonaptera. Key words: Microtus oeconomus mehelyi (Rodentia), parasite fauna, helminths, fleas. Introduction The distribution of Microtus oeconomus Pallas, 1776 ssp. mehefyi Éhik, 1928 besides Hungary is only limited to the eastern part of Austria and the southern territory of Slovakia (Danube-region) (Éhik 1928, Erhardová 1955, Niethammer & Krapp 1982). This species belongs to the scarce and protected mammals listed in the "Hungarian Red Book". The original area was fragmented into remnant patches, such as marshlands and bogs. After the draining of boggy areas and marshlands the stock of M. oeconomus sharply decreased, only small, island-like, isolated populations survive in these special biotopes. Taking into consideration this fact our parasitological investigation was based only on a limited number of specimens. In 1964 a large population was found in the Kis-Balaton Landscape Protection Area (LPA), where we could collect 43 specimens. The number of investigated individuals dramatically decreased in 1974 and 1982. Currently, the size and condition of this population is unknown. Several samples were also taken from isolated populations of Lake Fertő, Hanság Nature Reserve and Szigetköz Nature Reserve between 1987-1990 and in 1974 near the town Sopron. Twelve internal parasite species were identified (2 Trematoda, 5 Cestoda, 5 Nematoda). Of the external parasites fleas (6 Siphonaptera) were only investigated.