Parasites of the Agile Wallaby, Macropus Agilis (Marsupialia).

Abstract

The parasites found at necropsy of 63 M. agilis from Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory included 18 species of nematodes, 4 of cestodes, 2 of trematodes, 2 of ticks, a louse, a mite and 3 species of protozoa. The most prevalent (>50%) of the helminths were Cloacina spp. (primarily C. australis and C. cornuta) in the stomach, Progamotaenia proterogyna in the small intestine, Labiostrongylus labiostrongylus and Strongyloides sp. in the stomach, Gongylonema alecturae in the oesophagus and stomach, Hypodontus macropi in the caecum and colon and Macropostrongylus macropostrongylus in the stomach. Filarinema sp. and Strongyloides sp. (both undescribed) are new records for this host. Pathological changes were associated with gastric nematodes, P. festiva in the bile ducts, Gemellicotyle wallabicola (new record for Australia) in the stomach, Macropotrema pertinax in the caecum and Durikainema macropi in the portal veins.