Helminth parasites of some rodents (Cricetidae, Heteromyidae, and Sciuridae) from Zacatecas, Mexico

Eighty-six specimens representing 7 species of rodents from 9 localities in the state Zacatecas were examined for helminths. Only 5 host species were found to harbor at least 1 species: Chaetodipussp., Dipodomys merriami atronasus, Neotoma mexicana, Otospermophilus variegatus, and Peromyscussp.; in contrast Mus musculusand Reithrodontomyssp., were not parasitized. Three species of cestodes (Catenotaeniidae gen. sp., Hymenolepissp., and Raillietinasp.) and 7 nematodes (Gongylonemasp., Heteromyoxyuris longejector, Lamotheoxyuriscf. ackerti, Mastophorus dipodomis, Rauschtineriasp., Pterygodermatites dipodomis, and Trichuris dipodomis) were recorded. The intestine is the most parasitized (7 taxa) and trematodes were not found. The highest species richness was recorded in D. merriami atronasusfrom Rancho La Barranca (6 taxa), which also had the most sampling effort. H. longejectorin Chaetodipussp. from El Gordillo, showed the greatest mean abundance, and mean intensity values, followed by Rauschtineriasp. in O. variegatusfrom Morelos-Zacatecas Road. All species are new locality records, 14 new host records, and 2 taxa recorded for the first time in Mexico: Rauschtineriasp. and M. dipodomis. This is the first study of helminth parasites of rodents from Zacatecas.