First report of leech parasitism in freshwater turtles for Turkish wetlands

Yıl 2023, Cilt: 9 Sayı: 2, 108 - 114, 25.08.2023

Mustafa Ceylan Osman Çetinkaya

https://doi.org/10.17216/limnofish.1270081

Öz

Research on the diversities of parasites and hosts, as well as their relationship, can provide significant contributions to understanding, utilizing, conserving, and properly managing aquatic ecosystems. The freshwater mud turtle Emys orbicularis and Balkan turtle Mauremys rivulata, as well as the leech Placobdella costata, are distributed; however the relations between these organisms are not well-known in Turkish wetlands. In this study, the parasitism of Glossiphonid leech P. costata on freshwater turtles, E. orbicularis, and M. rivulata was assessed for the first time through field observations and laboratory examinations in Turkish wetlands. The infection prevalence in turtles was found to be 76%, with an intensity of 5.00 and an abundance of 3.82, all of which were higher in females. Although the infection prevalence was similar for both E. orbicularis and M. rivulata, infection intensity and abundance were higher in M. rivulata. Leeches were mostly sampled from the plastron and least from the head. The condition of the parasitic leech was found to be high, and P. costata preferred to feed on and parasitize predominantly female individuals of both turtle species.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Placobdella costata, Emys orbicularis, Mauremys rivulata, infection prevalence, infection intensity, abundance

Destekleyen Kurum

the Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit at Süleyman Demirel University

Proje Numarası

SDU-BAP 3341-D2-12

Teşekkür

Eğirdir Fisheries Research Institute

Türkiye sulak alanlarındaki tatlı su kaplumbağalarında sülük parazitliğine ilişkin ilk rapor

Öz

Öz: Parazitlerin ve konakçıların çeşitliliğinin yanı sıra aralarındaki ekolojik ilişkilerin araştırılması, sucul ekosistemlerin anlaşılması, kullanılması, korunması ve uygun şekilde yönetilmesine önemli katkılar sağlayabilmektedir. Benekli kaplumbağa Emys orbicularis ve Balkan kaplumbağası Mauremys rivulata ile Placobdella costata sülük türü Türkiye sulak alanlarında yayılış göstermektedir; ancak bu organizmalar arasındaki ilişkiler tam olarak bilinmemektedir. Bu çalışmada, Glossiphonid sülüklerden P. costata türünün tatlı su kaplumbağaları, E. orbicularis ve M. rivulata üzerindeki parazitliği, saha gözlemleri ve laboratuvar incelemeleri yoluyla Türkiye sulak alanlarında ilk kez incelenmiştir. Kaplumbağalardaki enfeksiyon prevalansı %76, yoğunluğu 5,00 ve bolluğu 3,82 olarak bulunmuştur ve bunların hepsi dişilerde daha yüksek bulunmuştur. Enfeksiyon prevalansı hem E. orbicularis hem de M. rivulata için benzer olmasına rağmen, enfeksiyon yoğunluğu ve bolluğunun M. rivulata türünde daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir. Sülükler en çok plastrondan, buna karşın en az ise kafadan örneklenmiştir. Sülüklerin kondisyonlarının yüksek olduğu ve P. costata türünün her iki kaplumbağa türünün ağırlıklı olarak dişi bireylerini parazitlemeyi tercih ettiği dikkat çekmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Placobdella costata, Emys orbicularis, Mauremys rivulata, enfeksiyon prevalansı, enfeksiyon yoğunluğu, bolluk

Proje Numarası

SDU-BAP 3341-D2-12

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